Three arrested for raising money for fake charities; Hundreds of thousands stolen
The police arrested three young Rotterdam men on suspicion of running a network of collectors for fake charities. The suspects, aged 17, 20, and 22, stole hundreds of thousands of euros in this way, the police said on Friday. They’re suspected of fraud and money laundering.
The suspects worked with a large group of collectors, many of whom were minors. The police stressed that these collectors are also criminally liable, and the investigation into their involvement in this large-scale scam is ongoing.
According to the police, the three main suspects deployed their fake collectors near supermarkets and public transport stations. The collectors approached passersby with flyers and badges for fake causes and charities, asking for money, which the donors could pay with cash or by card. The money was then transferred to personal accounts. The police have not recovered the stolen money.
The collectors were allowed to keep a substantial amount of every 100 euros collected, the police said. If they collected a higher amount, they received a bonus. In several cases, more money was debited from donors’ accounts than they had agreed to.
The police launched this investigation after a community police officer recognized several collectors. The police raided the suspects’ homes and a building on Vijverhofstraat in Rotterdam, among other places. Investigators seized collection boxes, debit card machines, and records.
The suspects are in custody for further investigation. More arrests may follow.
