An organization with roots in Italy and Spain, specialized in cyber fraud and capable, according to investigators, of financially supporting the Casalesi clan. This is the scenario revealed by the investigation coordinated by the Naples District Anti-Mafia Directorate, which led to the execution of a pre-trial detention order against two individuals.
The order, issued by the investigating judge of the Court of Naples, was executed by members of the Guardia di Finanza's Special Currency Police Unit, with the support of the provincial commands of Caserta and Milan. The two arrested men are seriously suspected, to varying degrees, of criminal conspiracy and self-laundering, with the aggravating circumstance of having aided the Casalesi clan.
The scam system
At the heart of the investigation is a complex illicit scheme designed to "empty" the bank accounts of unsuspecting account holders. The organization, according to investigators, used well-known but still extremely effective techniques: phishing via email, smishing via text message, and vishing via direct telephone contact with victims.
The most common method involved sending a text message or email purporting to come from the victim's bank. The message reported a suspicious transfer or debit. Shortly thereafter, the scammer would call, pretending to be from the bank's anti-fraud office, and trick the account holder into instant transferring the money to an account actually controlled by the criminal syndicate.
The Cloned SIM Trap
In other cases, the group allegedly used an even more insidious technique: the fraudulent activation of a copy of the SIM card associated with the victim's bank account. This allowed the suspects to access home banking and intercept OTP codes sent via text message, thus completing immediate transfers of available funds to bank accounts traceable to the organization.
Once the money was collected, it was quickly transferred to other accounts, including overseas, or withdrawn in cash. In some circumstances, according to the investigation, the money was also converted into virtual currencies, which the suspects believed to be a more secure way to hinder the identification of the digital wallet owners.
Twenty-four suspects and 38 incidents
The investigation, which was also conducted through international police cooperation channels, involved a total of 24 individuals and focused on 38 alleged fraud incidents involving as many Italian victims. The total damages estimated by investigators are approximately €800.
A portion of these sums, at least according to the prosecution's line of reasoning, would have ended up in the coffers of the Casalesi clan. Investigators believe that approximately 40% of the illicit proceeds were handed over in cash to members of the Camorra group, with the dual objective of financing the clan's operations and financially supporting the families of prisoners, thus consolidating the criminal presence in the area.
The two arrested
The main recipients of the precautionary measure are two Caserta-based entrepreneurs active in the automobile trade and living in Italy and Spain. The investigating judge ordered them to be held in prison, considering the existence of a serious circumstantial evidence.
For the other suspects, despite the absence of similar custodial measures, the judge nevertheless acknowledged the existence of circumstantial evidence deemed sufficient to establish participation in a criminal conspiracy aimed at computer fraud, money laundering, and self-laundering. Six individuals were also charged with the aggravating circumstance of aiding the Casalesi clan.
The searches
During the investigation, 21 searches were carried out on homes and businesses in the provinces of Naples, Caserta, Modena, Benevento, Potenza, and Isernia. The investigations, investigators say, are aimed at acquiring further evidence and fully reconstructing the network of accomplices, the flow of money, and the connections with organized crime circles.
The article highlights a very complex and deeply rooted system; however, it seems that the banks didn't carry out enough checks; many account holders were defrauded, and the money was moved twice between Italy and Spain. I don't know if the 21 searches were enough or if more evidence and clarity are needed; the investigation seems long and confusing.