Two crooks organized more than 100 lottos for the benefit of fictitious associations. The scam, which lasted several years, allowed them to collect hundreds of thousands of euros.
Repeated scams. For almost a year, two accomplices organized more than 100 lottos in Charente-Maritime and Charente between June 2021 and May 2022, for the benefit of false associations. They were indicted in the spring for fraud and operation of prohibited gambling and organized gangs, reports Saturday The Parisian.
Casino and fee-based dating
The two acolytes always repeat the same process: they set up a lotto-type board game in a town, in which elderly people often register and pay to participate.
Officially, the small event is organized for the benefit of an association intended to fight against cancer or for people with disabilities. Except that it is not so: the associations do not exist and the money collected ends up largely in the pockets of the two scammers. The sums are spent at the casino or to pay for paid meetings.
In total, the police estimate that at least 410,000 euros were stolen, or even perhaps 700,000 euros, the bingo having probably started as early as 2018.
A sexagenarian invests nearly 10,000 euros
Contacted by The Parisian, Martine, in her sixties, is on the list of victims of this scam. She allows herself to be convinced by one of the two crooks to participate in a lottery in favor of an association dedicated to the handicapped, her husband himself being impaired.
The scammer takes over the entire organization. Three lottos are launched, the sexagenarian uses her personal resources to finance the events. Amount of the invoice: nearly 9950 euros.
But the lottos are a failure and Martine recovers only 2500 euros in the case. She claims today to have been defrauded and has lodged a complaint with the public prosecutor of Saintes, but she is not heard.
Worse, “I was told that I had played a troubled role in this affair”, she denounces, assuring that she was interviewed by the gendarmes. His request to join as a civil party is also refused. The lawyer for one of the two alleged crooks, joined by The Parisiandeclined to comment.
