A dozen individuals have been arrested, mostly in Israel and three in the Paris region, as part of the dismantling of a large organised fraud network, according to sources close to the investigation on Wednesday.
The investigation, initiated in 2022 following a complaint from the Stade Toulousain rugby club, revealed 121 victims, including businesses in Belgium, spanning at least eight countries, with a total estimated fraud of €14.4 million.
A joint operation conducted in France and Israel on Monday morning resulted in the arrest of the suspects and the seizure of around €20,000, a bank account credited with €248,000, a vehicle, and computer equipment.
The series of frauds began with an attempt to deceive Stade Toulousain, which was targeted by a fraudulent bank transfer order and a fake president scam.
Investigators managed to recover €79,000 out of the €208,000 siphoned from the club before uncovering the network and identifying 121 victims, including businesses in Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Spain, Mexico, Peru, Switzerland, and Venezuela.
The investigation also prevented the theft of an additional €18.7 million by the fraudsters.
Those arrested, all either Israeli or Franco-Israeli, remain in custody, and the three suspects detained in France are expected to be charged on Wednesday.
