Money Laundering Crime Ring Busted in Plovdiv, Sothern Bulgaria
The Plovdiv District Prosecution Office has broken a criminal operation for money laundering related to computer fraud (phishing) outside Bulgaria.
US Ambassador to Bulgaria James Warlick and a Europol representative have praised Bulgaria's Interior Minister for the special operation in which a massive bank card clone gang was busted.
Warlick expressed his gratitude in Bulgarian, while Italian Ambassador Stefano Benazzo, who is currently in Italy, was represented by his deputy, Francesco de Stefani. Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov himself thanked the foreign police authorities for their assistance and trust during the operation, codenamed "Shock" in Bulgaria.
The Bulgarian-masterminded crime ring, which has been described as the world's largest in the sphere of bank card cloning, has been active mostly in Italy, where nine suspects were detained. US police arrested two suspects and two more were apprehended in Spain, while one person was held in Poland. A total of 47 individuals were busted in Bulgaria last week.
The gang has been active since nine years and has accumulated a fortune estimated at over EUR 50 M. Police officers from Spain, Bulgaria, Italy, Poland, Germany, US intelligence agents and experts from Europol have contributed to the operation, codenamed Night Clone Card.
On Wednesday, Tsvetan Tsvetanov and Michael Rauschenbach, head of Europol's forgery-of-money unit, shared details about the international operation. The gang had 73 members, 50 of whom with a crime record, it was revealed. A total of 500 Bulgarian police officers participated in the operation.
The gang cloned more than 15 000 cards, Rauschenbach said, pointing out that credit card frauds cost the EU more than EUR 1.5 B a year.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
In a testament to enduring friendship, this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and China
Italy has thrown its weight behind Bulgaria's bid for full-fledged membership in the Schengen area, affirming its steadfast support during Italian President Sergio Mattarella's two-day visit to Bulgaria
In a strategic move aimed at reinforcing Bulgaria's commitment to its European aspirations and tackling corruption, outgoing Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov held a crucial meeting with EU, Ukrainian, US, and British ambassadors
In a statement that underscores the United States' keen interest in Bulgaria's political landscape, US Ambassador Kenneth Merten expressed disappointment at the failure of negotiations to form a government in the country
Nathaniel Copsey has been appointed as the new British Ambassador to the Republic of Bulgaria, succeeding Rob Dixon, announced the British Embassy
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev engaged in a telephone conversation with Indian President Droupadi Murmu, expressing heartfelt gratitude on behalf of Bulgaria
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022