Spanish police have arrested 12 people accused of running a criminal network that washed millions of euros through online gambling platforms while exploiting Ukrainian women who had fled the war.

The arrests came after an international investigation coordinated by Europol. Authorities say the group built a complex financial setup that used gambling systems and bank accounts to disguise illegal profits.

Coordinated action days in June 2025 led to eight arrests in Alicante and four more in Valencia. Investigators also carried out searches in Ukraine during the operation.

In total, officers searched nine properties across Spain and another eight in Ukraine. During those raids, police seized electronic equipment, cash and other tools believed to have been used to manage the laundering scheme.

Investigators say the organization centered its operation on online betting accounts funded with bank cards linked to accounts opened in Spain.

According to authorities, Ukrainian women who had received temporary protection after fleeing the war were transported to Spain and taken to banks to open accounts. Once those accounts were established, the women were sent back to Ukraine while the suspects kept control of the financial access created in their names.

The accounts later became the backbone of the money-laundering operation.

Gambling platforms became laundering pipeline for international fraud network involving Ukrainian refugees

Police say the suspects connected credit cards issued to the bank accounts with profiles on online gambling platforms. Some of those betting accounts were created using stolen identities belonging to Spanish citizens. Others relied on the identities of the Ukrainian women whose accounts had already been opened.

From there, the group used automated software to place bets and move money between gambling accounts. Investigators believe the constant betting activity helped cycle illicit funds through the platforms before the money was withdrawn as what appeared to be legitimate gambling winnings.

Authorities estimate the network deposited more than €2.7 million ($3.1 million) into betting platforms and eventually withdrew more than €4.7 million ($5.4 million). Investigators believe the operation ultimately produced roughly €4.75 ($5.5 million) million in profit.

The case also exposed a much wider web of financial fraud. Investigators identified more than 3,000 stolen credit cards and over 5,000 stolen identities connected to the scheme, spanning at least 17 nationalities.

Law enforcement agencies also identified or blocked 153 bank accounts across 11 countries.

During searches, officers seized 88 mobile phones, 20 computers, about 500 SIM cards and four vehicles. Police also confiscated roughly €73,000 and $4,200 in cash along with around €200,000 worth of cryptocurrency. Authorities said they recovered 22 automated tools used to run the betting activity.

Europol helped coordinate intelligence sharing between countries and deployed specialists to assist during the action days.The operation comes as European authorities step up scrutiny of online gambling systems. Recent Europol-supported raids targeting illegal betting networks have stretched beyond Spain to other countries including Sweden. In Ukraine, regulators have also moved to clamp down on illicit gambling activity, recently blocking 371 illegal gambling websites amid ongoing regulatory uncertainty.

Featured image: Canva

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