Very wealthy Dutch crypto baron (51) arrested in Colombia, wanted all over the world
EXTRADITED TO USA Dutch businessman wanted by the United States was arrested in Colombia on Tuesday for involvement in large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering. It concerns 51-year-old Taoufiq R. from Almere. Justice sees him as the leader of a criminal gang that launders many millions of dollars every year through crypto coins. R. will soon be extradited to the state of New York.

Sebastiaan Quekel 20-12-23, 12:26 Last update: 13:23
The Colombian newspaper El Colombiano describes Taoufiq R. as the 'financial mastermind of an international organization' and as 'one of the most wanted criminals in the world'. The news of his arrest was announced at a press conference and dominated all Colombian newspapers on Wednesday, which distributed his photo in addition to his full name.

With his arrest by the Colombian authorities at the request of the United States, Colombia is dealing a major blow in the fight against international drug trafficking. The Moroccan-born Dutchman was wanted on three different continents because of his ties to notorious drug criminals. According to the indictment, R. endangered the financial system of several countries with his criminal activities. The authorities of the Netherlands, the United States, Germany and Australia, among others, were therefore after him for months. The operation was led by the FBI and Interpol.

Shady practices
R. had lived in Medellín for several years, the second largest city in Colombia after Bogota. There he presented himself as a businessman and offered his services to unsuspecting large companies. R. has appeared at several major events and has been seen in close proximity to prominent figures, such as the owner of a meat and seafood wholesaler. R. gained national fame in this way and also gained the confidence of large companies to do business with him.

Behind the scenes, however, R. was involved in shady practices. He is said to secretly collaborate with drug criminals all over the world and is even said to be at the helm of a large-scale criminal network. According to the FBI, this gang conducts various "illegal operations in the United States, Europe and Australia and works directly with independent drug trafficking organizations in Colombia to further fuel this crime."

Made millions of dollars
As gang leader, R. was responsible for coordinating and supervising international transactions. Money laundering via crypto coins was central. This would have earned him millions of dollars. The money was allegedly transferred to various accounts in the United States, Europe and Asia. R. used various companies that acted as a front, writes the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo .

In recent months, R. has traveled to various countries to maintain his criminal networks. Despite Interpol's investigation, he managed to enter these countries. It is still unclear how he succeeded. He is said to have escaped several times during various operations aimed at capturing him. On Tuesday, the police managed to handcuff him, thanks to information from informants and traces left by R. after previous escapes.

51-year-old Taoufiq R. is also not unknown in our country. In 2019 he still had to answer before the police judge in Amsterdam. R. is also registered as an entrepreneur with the Chamber of Commerce. The Public Prosecution Service cannot provide any information about the investigation in Colombia on Wednesday.

Cryptocurrencies in crime
The most popular and best-known digital currency is the bitcoin. It was introduced in 2008 as an alternative to traditional currencies. Several digital currencies have been released since then. Cryptocurrency transactions are largely anonymous. That is why they are increasingly used by criminals to launder illegally obtained money and thus stay one step ahead of the police, tax authorities and security services.

Cryptocurrencies are increasingly appearing in the money laundering circuit. In September, Turkish crypto boss Faruk Fatih was sentenced to 11,000 years in prison (!) for cryptocurrency fraud, leading a criminal organization and money laundering. A year ago, Özer was arrested in Albania for allegedly defrauding crypto investors of around 356 million liras, equivalent to more than 12 million euros.

In March this year, the European Parliament approved the first European regulations for the crypto market. The legislation is intended to curb shady and criminal activities involving payments with cryptocurrencies such as bitcoins, such as money laundering.

Taoufiq Ramsis