Spain’s Notorious Cyber Fraudster Faces Prison Time
The Spanish Prosecutor’s Office has requested a two-year prison sentence for a man identified as Lupine, described as Spain’s biggest cyber fraudster. The accusation centers on fraud against a Gipuzkoan resident based in Elche, whose personal data Lupine allegedly obtained through the illicit sale and purchase of a video game console online. This account is as reported by EFE.
Authorities estimate that Lupine earned roughly 300,000 euros per month through online fraud. The scheme involved copying storefront webpages and using online platforms to dupe victims into paying for goods that were never delivered.
The trial took place in San Sebastián on a case dating back to October 2017, when Lupine allegedly posted advertisements on a shopping site to swap items. The provisional indictment from the Prosecutor’s Office, to which EFE had access, asserts that he offered a PS4 console for 289 euros.
The incident related to the alleged fraud was documented in photographs showing the arrest of the suspect by the Civil Guard. The caption noted the arrest in connection with the information gathered by authorities.
Lupine was taken into custody in a Madrid nightclub nearly two years prior. A store customer recognized him from a recent television program and alerted the National Police, who dispatched a team to verify his identity. According to legal sources, Lupine had multiple prior legal claims that culminated in his arrest.
Following his arrest, Lupine, who was dressed in distinctive attire at the time, had almost 12,000 euros in cash on him. He filed a habeas corpus request seeking an immediate appearance before a judge and was transferred to Madrid’s Investigating Court No. 3, as reported by sources prior to the case.
Public records indicate that Lupine did not confess to nine fraud-related charges brought by courts in Ponferrada, Elche, Guadalajara, Albacete, Cádiz, and Madrid at the time of questioning.
Habeas Corpus Denied
Despite the defense’s arguments, the judge granted the warrants for search and arrest and ordered Lupine’s imprisonment, thereby denying the habeas corpus request and moving the case forward to trial.
The defendant was born in Ponferrada, León, in 1999, and is widely described as the most prolific cyber fraudster in the country’s recent history. He has already been convicted in at least one of the multiple cases pursued against him.
According to information shared with EFE by sources connected to the incident, Lupine’s cases are largely backlogged across the national judiciary because they span several Spanish jurisdictions.
Victim Account
After viewing a listing, a Gipuzkoan victim contacted Lupine through a reference phone number and engaged in a conversation that disclosed his full name, identity card, address, and bank card details.
The defendant allegedly reassured the victim that the game console would arrive within two to three days. It is alleged that Lupine used the victim’s data to make additional purchases, ultimately failing to deliver the promised product. In one incident, more than 760 euros were charged at a Lugo service station using the victim’s card information.
During the hearing, Lupine was transported from Asturias prison to testify in San Sebastián. He answered questions posed by his attorney but reportedly claimed he acted as a drug user since he was a minor, and the case concerning fraud was brought without full disclosure at that time.
A service station employee who identified Lupine in a photo lineup, though unable to reconfirm in the courtroom, testified via video conference that he recognized a beardless young man as the suspect several years later. Another employee from the same service station provided a different sequence for identification, which the ascertaining officers noted.
As the proceedings continued, the prosecution urged a conviction, while the defense pressed for acquittal. EFE was the source reporting on these developments.