Authorities in El Salvador have dismantled a transnational criminal organization dedicated to cyber fraud, identity theft, and money laundering, which had infiltrated the country’s financial system with illicit transactions amounting to $6 million.
Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado confirmed that the network involved Salvadorans along with Colombian, Venezuelan, and Guatemalan nationals. A total of 130 arrest warrants were issued—123 against Salvadorans, four against Colombians, two against Guatemalans, and one against a Venezuelan. So far, 114 individuals have been captured, including 30 caught in the act and 84 detained during targeted operations.
Investigations, which began in May, revealed that the criminal structure operated primarily through social media platforms like WhatsApp, deceiving victims with false job offers, fictitious loans, fraudulent rentals, and scams involving supposed customs payments for suitcases. Funds were moved through bank accounts, digital platforms, and remittance channels, with some transferred abroad.
The Attorney General’s Office reported filing 1,894 indictments against Salvadorans who provided their bank accounts to facilitate these schemes, resulting in 267 convictions. Another 300 cases were resolved through alternative measures, while 1,327 remain active before the courts.
Minister of Public Security and Justice Gustavo Villatoro warned citizens not to share personal or financial information with strangers. He stressed that lending bank accounts to third parties fuels illegal activity, noting that such scams mirror the “gota a gota” schemes originating in Colombia. Villatoro also announced a September 30 deadline for individuals involved to voluntarily report how they were recruited, or face legal prosecution.
The network has links to Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Mexico, and authorities have connected it to at least 4,728 individual fraud cases.
This operation is considered one of the largest recent blows to cybercrime in El Salvador, reinforcing the country’s commitment to protecting its financial system and citizens against transnational criminal threats.