The police in Toulouse, in the south of France, informed court officials this Tuesday (13) that the main suspect was arrested in Colombia, after eliminating a fraud that caused hundreds of victims and 33m euros in losses in the renewable energy sector. and people close to the investigation.
A 44-year-old businessman from the Toulouse region was arrested in Colombia this Tuesday, thanks to cooperation between the local police, the Bordeaux Interregional Expert Jurisdiction (JIRS), Colombian authorities and Europol, the prosecutor’s office said.
The defendant is charged with defrauding “more than 400 victims” between 2015 and 2021.
According to a source in the investigation, the man offered to invest in companies that manufacture photovoltaic panels and promised return on investment of “at least 6% to 9% per year” thanks to the profits made by selling electricity to the EDF company.
However, the source claimed that investors were making “almost no” returns.
According to the Bordeaux Prosecutor’s Office, the embezzled funds were “laundered through international transfers to more than forty accounts in eleven different countries”.
The same source said that while some investors did get returns, they came from revenues from new clients under a “fraudulent Ponzi style financial scheme”.
According to the prosecution, the accused was arrested in a location near Medellín, Colombia, where he “appeared to have escaped”.
According to the prosecution, the man “was the target of an Interpol red alert and the detainee is seeking extradition”.
© Agence France-Presse
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.