Two 17-year-old boys from the Netherlands have been arrested on suspicion of conducting espionage activities for Russia. Authorities allege they used WiFi sniffing devices near sensitive sites in The Hague, including the offices of Europol, Eurojust, and the Canadian embassy.

According to De Telegraaf, the teens allegedly used a WiFi sniffer, a device capable of detecting and intercepting wireless networks, potentially collecting sensitive information. One of the suspects was taken into custody while doing homework at home, with his parents reportedly unaware of his involvement.

Investigators believe the teens were recruited through the messaging app Telegram by pro-Russian hacking groups. Similar tactics have been reported in other European countries, including Germany, where minors have allegedly been paid by Russian operatives to disrupt infrastructure. A Europol spokesperson confirmed the incident and said that Europol’s systems and infrastructure were not compromised.

One of the teens remains in custody, while the other has been released under strict house arrest conditions. Their next court appearance is expected within the next two weeks.

260 suspects arrested in Pan-African cybercrime crackdown

Authorities in 14 African countries have arrested 260 suspects and seized over 1,200 electronic devices during Operation Contender 3.0, a coordinated effort targeting online scams and sextortion.

The crackdown identified 1,463 victims with financial losses estimated at $2.8 million. Police dismantled 81 cybercrime infrastructures and seized USB drives, SIM cards, forged documents, and fake online profiles used in the scams.

Ghana led the operation with 68 arrests, 835 devices seized, and $450,000 in fraud identified, of which $70,000 has been recovered. Scammers used fake profiles and identities to extract money or blackmail victims with explicit videos.

In Senegal, 22 suspects were arrested for impersonating celebrities online, defrauding 120 victims of $34,000. Côte d’Ivoire authorities dismantled a major sextortion ring, identifying 809 victims and arresting 24 people. Angola reported 8 arrests linked to scams targeting 28 victims using fake identities.

In the past few years Interpol reported a slew of major crackdowns targeting cybercrime. In one of the most recent cases, authorities confiscated more than $439 million in cash and crypto assets as part of Operation HAECHI VI that targeted a broad range of digital fraud schemes, including investment scams, voice phishing, romance fraud, business email compromise, and sextortion, as well as money laundering linked to illegal online gambling.

In August, police in 18 African countries arrested 1,209 individuals linked to online scams, ransomware attacks, and business email compromise (BEC) schemes as part of a joint effort codenamed ‘Operation Serengeti 2.0.’

Another major Interpol investigation into social engineering fraud led to the seizure of $50 million in illicit funds, with 2,000 alleged scammers arrested and some 4,000 bank accounts frozen.

UK convicts ‘Crypto Queen’ after record $7B Bitcoin seizure

A Chinese woman has been found guilty in the UK for her role in a massive cryptocurrency scam, which led to the biggest Bitcoin seizure in history, worth over £5.5 billion ($7.3 billion).

Zhimin Qian, 47, also known as Yadi Zhang, admitted in court that she had obtained and used money made through crime. Between 2014 and 2017, she ran a fake Bitcoin investment scheme in China that tricked around 130,000 people, promising them huge profits of 100% to 300%. In total, the scam tricked victims out of about 40 billion yuan (over $5 billion).

After the scam collapsed in 2017, Qian converted the money into Bitcoin and fled to the UK, where she tried to launder the funds by buying property, with help from her partner Jian Wen. Police in London began investigating in 2018 after getting a tip about the stolen cryptocurrency. The police eventually seized 61,000 Bitcoins, now valued at over £5.5 billion.

Wen has already been sentenced to nearly 7 years in prison. Qian, once nicknamed China’s “Bitcoin Queen,” will be sentenced later this year.

An international fraud network that stole over €102M dismantled

A major international criminal organization responsible for defrauding more than €102 million through fake online investment platforms has been dismantled in a coordinated police operation spanning six countries.

Operating since 2019, the group used telemarketers and fraudulent platforms known as “financial chiringuitos” to gain victims' trust and siphon funds. The network lured victims with false promises of high returns on investments in currencies, cryptocurrencies, and technology sectors. Once received, the money was quickly laundered through cryptocurrency exchanges and sent to digital wallets under the organization’s control.

As part of the police operation, six suspects were arrested in Spain, Portugal, Romania, and Bulgaria. Authorities seized 83 bank accounts (50 in Spain and 33 elsewhere in Europe), cryptocurrency valued at €80,000 and $20,000, six gold ingots, silver coins, jewelry, and €10,700 in cash.

One of the main suspects, a Portuguese national, was located and arrested in Barcelona. Another suspect remains at large, with an international arrest warrant issued in Italy. Authorities estimate at least €12.2 million of the total losses originated from victims in Spain, though actual damages could be higher due to unreported cases.

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A Canadian loan company used phone-based TDoS attacks to harass people

The Calgary Police Service (CPS) Cybercrime Team announced it has finished a two-and-a-half-year investigation into a loan company accused of using phone-based cyber-attacks to harass people. The investigation began in December 2022, when a Calgary resident reported being flooded with thousands of phone calls in one day. Known as a Telephony Denial of Service (TDoS), such attacks are designed to block someone's phone line by overwhelming it with nonstop calls.

The person believed the calls started after taking a loan from an online company. During the investigation, the police identified more victims who had also experienced similar attacks. The constant phone calls made it impossible for victims and their family, friends, and workplaces to use their phones. Businesses affected included a Calgary shopping mall and a medical imaging clinic.

In February 2024, CPS and Quebec police searched five locations in Laval and Montreal, seizing thousands of documents and more than 200 devices like phones and computers. On September 24 and 25, 2025, four people were arrested in connection with the case.

Two suspects, Steven Mancini and Johnny Rioux, were charged with extortion, harassing communications, fraud over $5,000, and charging a criminal interest rate. The other two suspects, Scott Geddes and Megan Wartoukian, have also been charged with extortion and harassing communications. All four are scheduled to appear in court on November 4 and 5, 2025.