Police arrest woman linked to gang defrauding property buyers
Greek police on Tuesday arrested a 56-year-old woman in Athens who they believe is part of a criminal ring that committed fraud and forgeries against property owners and prospective buyers.
The suspect was arrested the moment she took pre-marked banknotes from a prospective buyer of a property, to whom she had falsely presented herself as an authorised representative of the owner and seller. Police has also identified and is searching for three more suspects, two men and a woman.
The police report filed against the woman and her accomplices include the crimes of fraud, forgery and obtaining a false certificate, with the intended financial benefit exceeding the amount of 120,000 euros, violation of legislation on money laundering and on the illegal processing of personal data.
The investigation revealed that members of the gang approached prospective buyers and introduced themselves as owners, attorneys or intermediaries of the owners of plots of land and property, showing fake identity cards, without the knowledge of the real owners.
After agreeing on the purchase with the buyers, the members urged them to gather the necessary paperwork to draw up a contract of sale. After convincing the victims that the deal was legal, they would ask them for a deposit on the advance agreement, the preliminary agreement and the final contract, collecting from them the respective amounts either in cash or by transfer to bank accounts. After receiving the money, they disappeared.
Authorities believe the gang has been active at least since September 2021.
