In a statement published on the website of the Prosecution Service of Portalegre, the Public Prosecutor’s Office indicated that the 27-year-old man was brought before the court for a preliminary judicial hearing on Thursday.
The defendant is charged with crimes of fraud, computer-related fraud, money laundering, computer forgery, and unauthorized access, according to the information provided.
The investigation indicates that the individual is “strongly suspected” of being part of an organized criminal structure primarily engaged in cryptocurrency-related frauds, operating through a fictitious investment platform, through which he illegally obtained significant monetary sums.
After the interrogation, the Portalegre Court ordered that the accused be released under the conditions of identification and residence, a requirement to report weekly to the local security force, a ban on accessing financial content digital platforms, and the obligation to surrender his passport.
The investigation is being led by the Judiciary Police (PJ), with the inquiry overseen by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Ponte de Sor, in the Portalegre district.
Contacted separately, a source from the PJ confirmed that this is the same individual who was arrested in Sintra, in the Lisbon district, last week by the criminal investigation police.
Last Friday, the PJ announced the arrest of the individual within the scope of the operation “Fluxo Nr1,” led by the National Unit to Combat Cybercrime and Technological Crime, following international cooperation requests.
“Although the suspect resides in Portugal, he continues to maintain links with internationally operating structures, which are focused on creating and managing fictitious investment platforms,” Portuguese authorities noted at the time.
According to the PJ, the network seeks to identify and exploit “vulnerabilities in potential investors” and develops “mechanisms to conceal funds, causing significant financial damage to numerous victims across different regions.”
“Following a home search, various computer devices were seized, and a substantial collection of documentary and digital evidence was gathered, demonstrating the suspect’s illicit activities,” the PJ added, noting that the process was led by the Prosecutor of the General Jurisdiction Court of Ponte de Sor.
