Police arrest 19-year-old suspected key player of international phishing network
Suspect used stolen money to fund his travels.
Phishing. Image by Cybernews
- Belgian federal police arrested a 19-year-old Antwerp man suspected of helping lead a Europe-wide phishing network.
- The gang posed as bank employees, tricked victims into installing remote access software, and stole hundreds of thousands of euros.
- Police say the suspect organized large-scale digital fraud and money laundering using money mules, foreign accounts, and cryptocurrency.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
The Belgian federal police have arrested a 19-year-old man from Antwerp for his alleged involvement in a European phishing gang.
Investigators allege he is one of the leaders of the phishing network, operating from Belgium and the Netherlands and targeting victims throughout Europe.
Members of the phishing operation posed as bank employees to gain access to people’s bank accounts by sending fake emails and making phone calls.
The victims were convinced to install remote access software, allowing the scammers to take control of their computers.
The investigation by the Belgian federal police has shown that the fraudsters made dozens of victims, gaining well over half a million euros. With the help of money mules and cashers, the illicit gains were transferred to foreign accounts and laundered using cryptocurrency.
The suspect who was arrested last week is said to have played a key role in the phishing operation. According to the police, he was the leader “who organized digital fraud and money laundering on a large scale.”
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The 19-year-old suspect flew to Dubai several times. He used the bank cards of his victims to pay for his tickets.
After the suspect returned from Dubai at the end of June, police officers arrested him in an Airbnb in Antwerp, where he was staying with a second person. For unknown reasons, the police didn’t arrest the second suspect.
The investigation into the phishing operation was launched in March 2026 and is still ongoing “to take down the entire gang and recover as much money as possible for the victims,” the Belgian federal police said in a statement.
People should be vigilant and on high alert when receiving emails from what seems to be a government entity or financial institution.
“Official agencies will never ask you to provide sensitive information via email or through unknown links. They also won’t come to your door to pick up a bank card,” the federal police warn.