First convictions for the “false summons for child pornography” case.
These emails, distributed by the thousands, make individuals believe that by paying money, they would escape criminal prosecution.
More than 10,000 reports and 287 complaints gave rise to a vast international investigation, starting in 2021, on the trail of “grazers”, a nickname given to cyber-crooks, who extract money thousands of kilometers away.
As easily as a sheep feeds in a green meadow.
Also read: False court summons for child pornography: we played the game of these online scammers
The “first trial in France”, in the words of the prosecution, took place in Paris in January, on the money laundering aspect of the scam.
Almost all of the defendants were sentenced Thursday to sentences of up to three years in prison, adjustable with an electronic bracelet, which the prosecution had requested for the defendants.
Fines of €8 to €15,000 were also imposed, less than what the public prosecutor demanded.
Building caretaker, bank advisor, postman…
The nature of an organized gang was, however, not accepted by the judges, and no ban on French territory was pronounced, the prosecution had requested three.
Among the defendants, all born in the 1990s in Ivory Coast, without a record, a postman, a building caretaker, a bank advisor... living in Île-de-France, in Raincy, in Mantes-la-Jolie, in the provinces, in Le Mans, in Orléans... prosecuted for having transported hundreds of thousands of euros, never seized.
“Essential and indispensable links to the scam, which have industrialized the opening of bank accounts” for the prosecution.
In question, “taxi accounts” that they would have opened themselves, or had opened by “mules” to pass through the victims' transfers, with a commission of “10 to 15%”.
Because victims have paid.
Everything happened in Ivory Coast, in France, it was the money that was passing through.
In the ranks of the defense, Me Maximilien Fourt welcomes “a decision which took into account the role of the defendants in proportion to their responsibility, unfortunately many questions remain unanswered about the order givers”.
The chapter is not closed.
Me Jean-Yves Levano indicates that he is appealing this decision.
As for the victims who came forward, they have an appointment in October to assess their damage.