Leader of 'grandchild' scam network arrested in Barcelona; luxury Ferrari seized in Krakow

The scam network

The group operated a 'grandchild' scheme, calling elderly people and convincing them their relatives were in trouble, needing money to avoid prison or other consequences. The victims handed over savings of a lifetime. Police say the 24-year-old man, described as a Rom, held one of the top positions, responsible for coordinating other members, issuing orders, and managing operations nationwide. He was just below the phone callers, who are the central link in the fraud.

“He was responsible for organizing the work of other group members, issuing orders, assigning tasks, and coordinating activities across the country. Everything indicates he was just below the callers, who are the most important level in the scam's structure.”

Life on the run with a million-zloty car

After a wanted warrant was issued in August 2025, the suspect fled Poland. He hid in Hungary and other EU countries, yet allegedly continued to run the criminal operation remotely. Investigators say he lived expensively: luxury hotels, fine dining, and a Ferrari 458 road car worth over one million zlotys (approximately €220,000). The car was later discovered in an underground garage of a Krakow hotel.

The Barcelona arrest

A breakthrough came on 10 June 2026 when police in the Małopolska region received new information that placed the fugitive in Barcelona. Fearing he would slip away again, they moved quickly, contacting the Polish police liaison officer in Spain. The next day, 11 June, Spanish law enforcement arrested the 24-year-old. He is now in Spanish custody awaiting a decision on extradition to Poland.

“The officers working on the case obtained new information about the wanted Rom. The trail led to Barcelona. Knowing the suspect's pattern, they had to act fast so he wouldn't change his address and throw them off again.”

Seizure of the Ferrari

Days after the arrest, on Tuesday 16 June, Krakow police secured the Ferrari 458 from a hotel's underground parking. The vehicle was towed to the Provincial Police Headquarters in Krakow and impounded as collateral for future penalties.

“The funds he used came from scams whose victims were mainly elderly people. In many cases, the victims, convinced they were helping family members, handed over their entire life savings, often losing everything.”

Wider investigation

The case is supervised by the District Prosecutor's Office in Tarnów. In total, 63 individuals have been detained in connection with the same fraud ring, and 52 of them have been placed in pre-trial detention. The arrest of the fugitive in Spain marks a step in dismantling the group.