The Spanish Guardia Civil is conducting an investigation in Almería against two individuals accused of fraud. They allegedly used someone else's identity card to open multiple accounts at online casinos, where they won over 46,000 euros. The reported profits were subsequently attributed by the Spanish tax authority to the unsuspecting holder of the document. The perpetrators already have similar convictions for previous frauds, and one of them is currently serving a prison sentence.

Identity Theft for Winnings

Two men used someone else's identity card to open multiple accounts on betting portals, where they obtained winnings exceeding 46,000 euros.

Victim Burdened with Tax

The Spanish tax authority (Hacienda) attributed and taxed the unsuspecting holder of the stolen identity for the income obtained in this way.

Suspects with Prior Convictions

Both suspects already have previous convictions for similar acts, and one of them is currently serving a prison sentence for prior crimes.

The Guardia Civil in southern Spain, in the province of Almería, is investigating a sophisticated identity theft (suplantación de identidad) fraud. Two male suspects are alleged to have criminally used a stolen or appropriated identity card (DNI) of a citizen to open a series of accounts in his name on legal, Spain-based online betting platforms. Using these accounts, they placed bets, and according to law enforcement, achieved total winnings exceeding 46,000 euros. A key element of the crime, which caused direct harm to the victim, was the subsequent action of the Spanish tax authority. The Hacienda, receiving information about the casino income, automatically attributed these profits to the holder of the used ID and burdened him with the corresponding tax liabilities, placing him in a difficult legal and financial situation. Identity theft crimes are prosecuted in Spain under Article 401 of the Penal Code (Código Penal), which prescribes a prison sentence of six months to three years for impersonating another person when it may cause them harm. The Spanish tax system has also included income from gambling since 2012, which is taxed as income from monetary capital. Owners of gambling platforms are obligated to report data on winnings exceeding specified thresholds to the tax authority. The investigation revealed that both suspects are not novices in this type of activity. According to police sources, they have previous convictions for analogous crimes, qualifying them as repeat offenders. One of the men is currently in a penitentiary, serving a sentence for previous acts, which further complicates the investigative procedure. The Guardia Civil is acting based on reports from the victim, who had to explain to the tax office about income that was not his. The case reveals weaknesses in the identity verification system in the online gambling sector and the problem of automatically assigning tax liabilities without deeper verification of the income source.