Seven Arrested in Massive EU Fraud Scheme Selling Used Phones as New

Source briefing · A concise briefing based on one linked source. It is intentionally shorter than a full FreedomWitness Evidence Engine analysis.

What the source reports

An international law enforcement operation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) resulted in the arrests of seven people, including two alleged ringleaders, to dismantle a criminal network suspected of selling more than one million used mobile phones as new, the EPPO announced Tuesday. The cross-border crackdown, code-named "Troja," involved more than 1,700 officers conducting over 160 searches across 19 countries.

Authorities estimate the scheme defrauded European Union consumers of at least 300 million euros ($340 million) and caused 30 million…

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Source & verification

Primary source: OCCRP Stories About Power and Influence · September 29, 2026

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