Eurojust and Europol coordinated multi‑jurisdiction operations that exposed deepfake and false‑endorsement ads linked to extensive crypto investment fraud and laundering networks. Authorities arrested suspects in Cyprus, Germany and Spain and seized bank accounts, cash and cryptocurrency amid investigations estimating losses in the hundreds of millions of euros.

A Eurojust‑ and Europol‑coordinated takedown of a transnational crypto investment fraud network revealed sophisticated use of fake investment portals and deepfake advertising to lure victims into sending funds. Law enforcement authorities arrested individuals in Cyprus, Germany and Spain and executed seizures of bank accounts, cash and multiple cryptocurrencies as part of parallel probes. Investigators described an affiliate‑marketing model that fed targeted ads and simulated endorsements into social channels and ad networks, directing victims to cloned trading platforms and bogus custodial services. Money‑laundering chains employed layered transfers, prepaid instruments and conversion into multiple crypto assets to obscure flows and repatriate proceeds to operators and auxiliaries. Authorities estimate aggregate victim losses in the high hundreds of millions of euros and emphasized the operational complexity that crosses borders and regulatory regimes. The operation included asset‑recovery steps and requests for international legal assistance to trace funds through exchanges and custodial accounts, and officials called for improved platform due diligence, ad network scrutiny and public awareness campaigns to counter deepfake‑enabled investment fraud.