Suspected gang of fraudsters arrested: Damage over 735,000 euros

The police have arrested four men and a woman between the ages of 20 and 40 who were wanted on an arrest warrant and are said to have defrauded older people of gold and antiques, among other things. According to preliminary calculations, the damage amounts to over 735,000 euros, as the Frankfurt public prosecutor announced. The officers searched seven properties in Hesse, Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia and seized 123,000 euros in cash and several gold bars.

The suspects are in custody. The public prosecutor's office accuses them of commercial gang fraud in several cases. According to the investigators' findings so far, this is a group that consists mainly of family members and is said to have a division of labor.

The suspects are said to have offered to purchase gold jewelry, precious metals, coins and antiques through advertising brochures in daily newspapers and mailboxes. A jewelry company with several branches registered in the commercial register is said to have served as a facade to gain trust. Interested parties who came forward are said to have visited those now arrested at home. According to the public prosecutor's office, those affected were mostly very old, single or financially distressed people.

Investigator: Payment promises not kept

According to the public prosecutor's office, during the visits the accused were handed over pieces of jewelry, collector's coins and antiques and made promises to pay which, according to previous findings, they did not want to keep from the outset. When asked, they are said to have put the victims off for weeks and in several cases, sometimes acting as fake police officers, tricked them into making further payments. The public prosecutor's office assumes that there are additional victims who have not yet been identified. Those affected should report to the police.