In April 2024, quite a few policeman plundered houses and workplaces in 11 nations and apprehended quite a few individuals linked to JuicyFields, a agency initially based mostly in Berlin.
JuicyFields had really assured huge return to these able to buy scientific marijuana with its web website. Almost 200.000 people did so and got here to be victims of a rip-off. Prosecutors approximate the damages to be round EUR645 million ($ 678 million).
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A community of investigatory reporters in quite a few European nations has at present much more explored the occasion. Their searchings for have been launched by Danish public broadcaster DR, Swedish paper Svenska Dagbladed, Austrian paper Der Standard, and in Germany by the publication Der Spiegel, on-line magazineCorrectiv org, and public tv terminal ZDF.
New searchings for enhance much more inquiries in JuicyFields occasion
The brand-new analysis research reveals as much as validate the story as knowledgeable by DW. It moreover contains brand-new searchings for that make the JuicyFields legend additionally full stranger than it at present was.
Journalist Kevin Shakir from DR, as an illustration, procured in touch with the male believed to be the mastermind behind JuicyFields. Sergej B., a Russian nationwide, was apprehended in April 2024 within the Dominican Republic and is readied to be tried in a while in Spain.
According to Shakir’s analysis research, a community bordering Sergej B. had really established 2 varied different important fraudulence conditions previous to JuicyFields. One included waste recycling, the varied different a cryptocurrency. Each time, quite a lot of people shed quite a lot of money. Shakir informs the story of Sergej B. in “The Phantom from Russia”
“When you’re able to launch such big projects with that much marketing, when you’re able to disappear again and again from alleged scams, when you’re able to move cryptocurrency in big amounts and sophisticated ways,” Shakir knowledgeable DW. “The inquiry stays: is that this man [Sergej B.] performing alone or is he element of one thing bigger than himself?
Was the Russian state included?
Gabriela Keller from the investigatory on-line journal correctiv.org was inquisitive about the exact same inquiry. Many specialists on Russia state rip-offs on the vary of JuicyFields want political protection.
Keller acknowledged the examination didn’t supply 100% proof that the Russian state was included. But a number of of her searchings for advocate there goes to the very least a hyperlink.
For occasion, a Russian participant of JuicyFields’ inside circle, Vitaly M., was signed up in Berlin underneath the exact same handle as the primary social consular workplace of the Russian state, an institution referred to as the Russian House of Science and Culture.
“The fact that he was registered at the Russian House could indicate that he had helpers there,” Keller knowledgeable DW. “Because you either need a rental contract or a confirmation by the landlord when you register your address at the registration office.”
The Russian House rejected that they had something to do with Vitaly M. and acknowledged he has to have constructed paperwork or provided incorrect particulars on the residency enrollment office.
Back in April, Vitaly M. left apprehension. He at present resides in Russia, the place he seems to run a agency that produces drones, Keller knowledgeable DW. “The website currently displays the coat of arms of the Russian Ministry of Defense, along with the slogan: ‘Victory will be ours’.” Keller’s full report may be found here (in German)
A Swedish authorized consultant and his insurance coverage claims
Two investigatory press reporters at Svenska Dagbladet concentrated their examination on a male that was by no means ever a participant of JuicyFields, but whose identify is fastidiously linked to the occasion: Lars Olofsson, a Swedish authorized consultant.
After JuicyFields folded up within the summertime of 2022 and numerous financiers have been left stranded, Olofsson revealed that he may assist victims receive their money again.
Instead of ready on the fraudsters behind JuicyFields to be based responsible, Olofsson revealed he will surely submit course exercise fits versus all people who made the rip-off possible, consisting of Facebook, the place the agency marketed, and monetary establishments that handed down financiers’ money to JuicyFields.
To enter into the course exercise matches, ripped off financiers wanted to pay a value toOlofsson Initially, it was EUR100, in a while 150. Several thousand people subscribed.
Frida Svensson and Erik Wisterberg have really positioned Lars Olofsson underneath the microscopic lense– with surprising outcomes. They inform his story in a four-part podcast referred to as“The Savior”
“[Olofsson] markets himself as a super lawyer with 15 years of experience investigating international fraud and scams. He claims he’s a former Navy Seal and that he worked in the Swedish military intelligence service,” Wisterberg knowledgeable DW. “But nothing of this is true.”
“His real background involves serving time in prison for economic crimes. It also involves this year being put on trial again — which his clients didn’t know about at all,” Wisterberg included.
When will district attorneys submit prices?
The Swedish reporters acknowledged they may affirm their claims with data which that they had really confronted Olofsson with their searchings for.
DW moreover linked to Olofsson and requested him for comment. He responded but didn’t resolve any one of many topics he was inquired about. Instead, he composed that reporters won’t be relied on and acknowledged he obtained quite a few brand-new prospects after “The Savior” podcast launched in Sweden.
In the podcast, Olofsson is depicted as a soldier of ton of cash wishing to profit from a rip-off. He generated substantial quantities in sign-up prices from ripped off financiers, whereas the lawful course of he began worrying JuicyFields have been declined by Swedish courts.
Public district attorneys in Berlin, Madrid and elsewhere are presently reviewing the product taken all through the raids in April 2024. They are but to submit prices.
