Arrest in Palma for Dominican Republic travel scam

The value of the fraud is put at 230,000 euros

Officer with the National Police technological crimes group in Palma, Mallorca

The National Police technological crimes group in Palma has been leading the investigation. | Policia Nacional

Andrew EdePalma09/12/2023 13:14

The National Police in Palma have arrested a person said to have acted as an intermediary in a national and international scam that sold packages to the Dominican Republic for a dance festival.

There was no dance festival, but it was promoted as taking place between October 10 and 17 this year. The police have identified 220 people who were defrauded of payments for flights and hotels; at least fifty of these people were from the Balearics. The estimated value of the fraud is 230,000 euros.

The victims in this case first started to become suspicious when emails were sent on October 6 saying that the event had been cancelled. Attempts to contact the organiser got no response. Individuals checked with the hotel they were supposedly to be staying in and with airlines. There were no reservations for the hotel or for flights.

The police have identified the ringleader, who is not now in Spain. International cooperation has been requested for arrest and for the blocking of bank accounts.