The Civil Guard has arrested 22 people in Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante for extorting clients from sexual contact websites. By threatening to attack them or publishing that they were users of these portals, the detainees managed to get hold of a loot of 200,000 euros. Each extorted person paid amounts of up to 3,000 euros to prevent the information they had from reaching their closest environment.
Based in Badalona, the dismantled organization was directed by four of its members with high computer knowledge, in charge of attracting potential “clients.” The extortions took place via instant messaging.
The operation, called Comminatio, began after a complaint from one of the victims, who stated that he had paid on several occasions, despite which he continued to receive requests for money under threats against his physical integrity.
Investigators discovered the existence of thousands of ads from the organization - up to 3,200 detected - offering services.
Once contact between the client and the organization occurred, the extortion began. In order to manage the benefits obtained, the criminals had a group of logistical-economic intermediaries. These were responsible for opening bank accounts, contracting telephone lines and transferring money between members of the organization through small transactions.
Finally, another group of people provided mobile phones – up to 500 located terminals – as well as SIM cards and other technological means essential to carry out criminal activity.
In the two searches carried out in Barcelona, the Civil Guard has found numerous external memory disks, laptops and telephone terminals, which may increase the number of victims - there are 20 identified so far.
