Police officers from the Department for Combating Economic Crime of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Szczecin, in cooperation with the Office for Combating Economic Crime of the Central Police Headquarters and expert on cryptocurrency from the Regional Police Headquarters in Kołobrzeg, conducted a spectacular action. Six suspects were detained for participation in an organized crime group that created a financial pyramid on the cryptocurrency market. It is one of the biggest events of this type in Poland, which affected about 15 thousand victims and caused losses of at least PLN 2.19 million.
The scheme of fraud was based on the activities of the TSQ Investment Group, which tempted investors with promises of high returns on investment in Crypto. In fact, it was a classic financial pyramid, where participants' new contributions served to pay out to earlier investors and ultimately resulted in massive losses. Suspects heard allegations of fraud on a large scale and of adverse property regulations. The police action included searches in Szczecin, during which cash in gold, euro and US dollars were secured, cryptocurrency wallets (ledgers) with digital currencies, over 400 hard drives, computers, mobile phones and numerous documents.
The Szczecin District Court decided to temporarily arrest five suspects for a period of three months. The sixth person was subject to preventive measures in the form of police supervision, a ban on contact with other suspects, a ban on leaving the country and a property guarantee of PLN 15,000. The investigation, supervised by the Szczecin District Attorney's Office, is multi-thread and developmental – the police do not exclude further detentions.
This case casts a shadow on the dynamically developing cryptocurrency market, reminding investors of the risks associated with unregulated schemes. Experts warn: before you invest, check the credibility of the platform and avoid offers promising guaranteed profits. A video of police action is also available online, which shows the scenes of the operation. Is this the end of the pyramids in code, or is it just the beginning of the bigger scandal? The investigation continues, and the victims await justice.
Source: Zahodniopomorska Police
