Couple arrested at Sinop airport attempting to flee after consortium fraud involving 50 victims
A couple suspected of leading a consortium fraud scheme was detained at Sinop airport in Mato Grosso whilst attempting to board a flight out of Brazil. Seven people were arrested in total during the operation.
Couple detained at Sinop airport attempted to flee Brazil after consortium fraud
A couple identified as responsible for a consortium fraud scheme was arrested at Sinop Airport in northern Mato Grosso on Thursday (3), moments before embarking for abroad. According to g1.globo.com, the two already had purchased tickets to leave the country when they were intercepted by police teams.
The operation resulted in the arrest of seven suspects in total, with simultaneous actions in the cities of Sinop and Sorriso. In addition to the arrest warrants, 11 search and seizure orders were executed. The court also ordered the freezing of six bank accounts linked to those under investigation, the seizure of two vehicles and the shutdown of a website and social media profiles used by an advisory company linked to the group.
According to investigations, the scheme had been in operation since 2022. The group maintained offices in Sinop and Sorriso to attract clients, approached mainly through social media. The offer was for credit release to purchase properties, with a promise to make funds available within a period of 90 to 120 days.
To initiate the process, clients were instructed to pay an entry fee. When the deadline expired, the promised credit was not released. When seeking explanations, victims discovered they had signed credit letter contracts with conditions different from those presented during the initial negotiation. In total, more than 50 people were identified as victims of the scheme.
The possibility of the couple's escape was the trigger for the operation's acceleration. Upon discovering that the two suspects had purchased tickets, investigators sent teams to Sinop airport, where they managed to locate them before departure. The remaining targets of the arrest warrants were found during searches at offices and properties linked to the group in the two cities.
The Civil Police of Mato Grosso is still investigating the total amount of losses caused to victims, the destination of amounts obtained in the negotiations and the individual participation of each of those under investigation. The authorities are also verifying whether other people may have been harmed by the same scheme. The investigation continues in order to identify possible new crimes and those involved.
Source: Google News BR — Crime