Finance: Fraud news in Portugal

Operation "Scorched Earth": Seven defendants under investigation for €3.6 million fraud with European funds in Madeira

Insolvency administrator put fraud profits in girlfriend's name

Penafiel Court convicted nine people and two companies for a scheme that yielded more than one million euros.

Insolvency administrator put profit from scams in his girlfriend's name

The Penafiel Court sentenced nine people and two companies for a scheme that yielded over one million euros.

Portalegre Court convicts 55 defendants for MBWay scams

Both rulings were delivered on Friday.

PJ detains in Caldas da Rainha man wanted by France for VAT fraud

The Judicial Police (PJ) arrested a man in Caldas da Rainha, in the Leiria district, who was wanted by France for suspected 'tax fraud and money laundering through the so-called VAT carousel scheme,' the police force announced today.

Bancos Carregosa and Banco Angolano de Investimento targeted by PJ and AT searches: over 66 million euros under suspicion

Operation Tax Free carried out 53 searches in Lisbon, Porto and Setúbal. Authorities suspect banking operations may have defrauded the Portuguese state coffers of more than 66 million euros.

Judiciary Police launch searches on banks for 66 million euro fraud at the IMT

Banco Carregosa, headquartered in Porto, and Banco Angolano de Investimento Europa, in Lisbon, are the targets.

PJ and Tax Authority carry out searches at Banco Carregosa and Banco Angolano de Investimento

Investigation into a suspected scheme involving Municipal Property Transfer Tax (IMT) that allegedly cost the state millions of euros.

Fraud detection saves insurers 85.3 million euros in 2025

Control mechanisms in the Portuguese insurance sector prevented the improper payment of approximately 85.3 million euros in fraudulent claims during 2025. According to data from the 'Insurance Fraud – 2025' report, released by the Portuguese Association of Insurers (APS), the amount saved – which refers to the cost...

VAT carousel millionaire is released

Release possible upon payment of a 250 thousand euro bail.

Operation Hermes: 11 of those arrested for mega-VAT fraud remain in pre-trial detention while the others are released

Operation Hermes led to the arrest of 63 people. Of the 63, 40 were arrested in Portugal, with the rest in Spain and Italy.

Detainees from Operation 'Hermes' to learn coercive measures this Saturday

Operation 'Hermes' led to the arrest of 63 people. 40 were arrested in Portugal.

PJ arrests in Cascais man sentenced to prison in Spain for defrauding investors

The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested a man in Cascais who was wanted by Spain to serve a prison sentence for being part of a criminal organization that defrauded buyers of GPS trackers, the police force announced today.

He created a front company to recruit investors: man sentenced to prison in Spain arrested in Cascais

The Judicial Police (PJ) arrest a man wanted in Spain for being part of a criminal organization involved in fraud.

Businessman from Santa Maria da Feira at the centre of Operation Hermes

Filipe Castro was detained by the Porto Judicial Police and is being held in the cells attached to the Lisbon Judicial Police.

European Court of Auditors identifies suspected fraud case in Portugal 2020

The European Court of Auditors has flagged a potential instance of fraud related to the Portugal 2020 funding programme.

VAT carousel fraud: 39 suspects arrested for defrauding the State of over 150 million euros

A mega-operation involved over 1000 officers from various forces on the ground. In addition to the arrests, 26 properties, shares in 18 companies, 84 cars (four high-performance vehicles), other luxury goods, and various bank accounts based in Portugal were seized. Large sums of cash in both euros and foreign currency were also confiscated.

Penafiel Court convicts 13 defendants for 14-million-euro fraud against banking institutions

The events took place between 2008 and 2012 and relate to fictitious machinery sales operations.

Public Prosecution Service charges 13 defendants for fraud involving over 16 million euros in European funds

The Public Prosecution Service (MP) has charged seven individuals and six companies with 44 counts of fraud in obtaining European subsidies and one count of money laundering, allegedly resulting in over 16 million euros in illicit profits. The scheme, which operated between 2011 and 2015, involved inflating expenses with fake invoices to secure higher subsidies from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (FEADER) and the Rural Development Programme (PRODER). The investigation, led by the Évora Regional Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DIAP) with the support of the Judiciary Police, seeks the forfeiture of assets totaling over 16 million euros and the suspension of the defendants' rights to receive public subsidies.

Public Prosecutor's Office charges two defendants with money laundering linked to CEO Fraud scheme

The Public Prosecutor's Office indicated that the investigated criminal activity had an international nature and occurred at the beginning of 2022.

Fake bank employee commits 13,800 euro fraud

A fraudster posing as a bank official has scammed a victim out of 13,800 euros.

Revolut was a victim of fraud, attackers demand a three million dollar ransom

Affected customers hold significant volumes of cryptoassets. Revolut does not confirm if there are any Portuguese nationals among the targeted individuals.

ADFP Foundation accused of fraud in obtaining support during the COVID-19 pandemic

The ADFP and its officials are accused by the Public Prosecutor's Office of submitting applications they knew were outside the scope of the measure, resulting in a total gain of 73,350 euros from that support programme.

Loses money invested in cryptocurrencies

Woman files a complaint with the Judicial Police. She felt defrauded when trying to recover invested money.

Man loses one thousand euros while trying to unblock bank card. Victim files complaint with the PJ

The man received a phone call from a fake Caixa Geral de Depósitos employee.

Man allegedly received pension for 20 years of an American woman who died in Costa Rica

The suspect was the administrator of the care home where the teacher was admitted in 1999. He allegedly received 800,000 dollars in pension payments.

1.3 million in fake invoices and 'CEO Fraud': three arrested by the PJ

The investigation began with money originating from a scheme that allegedly defrauded a company in New Zealand

PJ arrests suspects of tax fraud involving 'CEO Fraud' scheme

The suspects, of foreign nationality and aged between 30 and 40, were arrested on Thursday and will now be brought before a judge for their first judicial interrogation.

PJ arrests three suspects for money laundering and tax fraud involving 'CEO Fraud' scheme

The 'CEO Fraud' scheme is characterised by the sending of emails or text messages in which a malicious actor impersonates an entity related to the target organisation, leading employees to transfer money.