International operation dismantles major investment fraud network

On November 3, 2026, an international law enforcement operation led by Germany, with support from Europol and Eurojust, successfully dismantled a criminal network involved in massive investment fraud. The crackdown involved coordinated raids across six countries, including Cyprus, Albania, Finland, Germany, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. Authorities executed searches at 17 locations, resulting in the seizure of over 100 servers and the arrest of seven suspects who now face extradition to Germany.

The criminal organization allegedly operated a 'crime-as-a-service' model from Cyprus and Israel, providing deceptive online trading platforms to other criminal groups. These platforms promised high and rapid returns on cryptocurrencies, foreign currencies, and shares. The fraud network utilized misleading advertisements and affiliate marketing to target victims globally, with estimated total losses exceeding 4 million euros. Investigations also identified links to illegal call centers in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia that pressured victims to invest their savings.

This operation concludes a four-year investigation that built upon previous law enforcement actions conducted in 2022 and 2025. In Cyprus, local authorities from the Limassol Criminal Investigation Department, in cooperation with German officials, conducted seven searches in homes and business offices, seizing digital evidence such as mobile phones and computers. The suspects remain in custody pending legal proceedings and extradition.