The National Police have arrested 84 people in Spain in connection with the laundering of at least €11,547,000, proceeds from the scam popularly known as the ‘Nigerian Letters’ or ‘Nigerian Emails’.
The actual volume of cash handled by these people in 2011-2012 is said to be in excess of €20 million, forming part of a global total of €120 million.
So far, there have been a total of 4,593 victims who have reported this fraud, mainly Americans, Canadians and Germans, although there may be a greater number of people who have been defrauded but failed to report the matter.
The organisation operated 203 locutorios and other premises for receiving and laundering the money from victims before sending it to Africa, most notably Nigeria. The majority of the detainees are Nigerian nationals. During various raids, police have seized cash, computers, phones, fake passports and have embargoed 98 vehicles valued at over €1 million, 78 properties valued at nearly €10 million and fifty bank accounts.
The arrests were made in Madrid (34), Valencia (18),,Málaga (12), Sevilla (9), Almería (3), Alicante (3), Castellón (2), Aranda de Duero (1), Sabadell (1) and Zaragoza (1).