Spain’s Civil Guard Arrests Alleged Leader of 260M Euro Crypto-Linked Ponzi Scheme

Spanish authorities said they arrested a man accused of leading a 260 million-euro ($300 million) alleged international investment scam that promised returns on everything from cryptocurrency to gold and luxury yachts.

The suspect, identified as A.R. and known online as “CryptoSpain,” allegedly ran the Madeira Invest Club, which began operations in early 2023 and marketed itself as a private investment group, the Ministry of Interior said.

According to the ministry, the scheme attracted over 3,000 victims by offering guaranteed returns on contracts tied to digital art, luxury vehicles, whisky, real estate and cryptocurrencies.

Promised profits and buyback guarantees were part of the pitch, but authorities say no real economic activity of investment took place. Instead, the club operated as a Ponzi scheme, where earlier participants were paid with funds from new investors, according to the ministry.

As the operation expanded, the operation built a complex network of shell companies and bank accounts spanning at least 10 countries, including Portugal, the U.K., the U.S., Malaysia and Hong Kong.

The investigation, known as Operation PONEI, involved Europol and law enforcement agencies from the U.S., Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand among others.