Four key members were arrested and the identities of 18 more members were identified.
The defendants pretended to be HEDNO employees and, using pretexts such as "risk of explosion due to electrical leakage", they extorted a total of more than 410.000 euros.
From Agrinio Crime Prosecution and Investigation Sub-Directorate, three criminal organizations that were committing fraud and theft against the elderly were dismantled.
In the context of a broad and coordinated police operation carried out by the Agrinio Crime Prosecution and Investigation Sub-Directorate, this morning in areas of Attica, with the assistance of police officers from the Agrinio, Attica and West Attica Police Departments, Services of the Akarnania Police Directorate, as well as police officers from the West Attica Crime Prosecution and Investigation Sub-Directorate and the Zephyrii Crime Prosecution and Investigation Department, Four key members of the criminal organizations were arrested.
In particular, a criminal case was filed against a total of -18- Greek nationals and -8- of their unknown accomplices, for the offenses of criminal organization, fraud, computer fraud, aggravated theft and money laundering.
As emerged from the police's months-long and thorough investigation, from September 2025 until today, the defendants had formed three distinct, related criminal organizations with a scope of action in Agrinio, Athens and Thessaloniki.
Regarding the mode of action:
The defendants, using their homes in areas of Attica and Argolida as call centers, targeted elderly people and, pretending to be HEDNO employees, communicated with them by telephone using operational telephone connections ("ghost persons").
Under the pretext of an imminent risk of explosion due to an alleged electrical leak, they terrorized them and persuaded them to pool their savings. To be convincing, they used pseudonyms, while also carrying out video calls via a communication application, placing the electricity company's logo as a logo.
Then, under the guidance of the "telephone operators", the organization's "collectors" went directly to the victims' homes. There, they applied two methods:
- Contactless Removal: They persuaded the victims to place the money and valuables in basins or wrap them in aluminum foil and leave them in external locations (e.g. at the entrance of the house), from where they removed them without physical contact.
- Employment Method: If the victim was unable to leave, the defendants would enter the home and, while the "answering machine" kept the elderly man busy on the phone, his accomplices would search the premises and remove the items.
After each successful act, the defendants immediately discarded their telephone devices and connections to make it more difficult to track them down.
The police investigation uncovered the following activity, which is listed based on the total value of the items removed (from largest to smallest):
- 1st Criminal Organization (operated until the end of September 2025): The engagement was identified. 4 locals, who committed at least 8 criminal acts in Attica (of which four were attempted), with the illegal financial gain amounting to 700 euro.
- 2nd Criminal Organization (with constant and ongoing action): The engagement was identified. 10 locals, who committed at least 16 criminal acts (of which 5 attempted), obtaining an illegal benefit of 050 euro.
- 3rd Criminal Organization (operated until the end of December 2025): The engagement was identified. 4 locals, who committed 7 criminal acts with the total loot amounting to 100 euroTheir action was terminated after the arrest of its members in December 2025.
In house searches that were conducted, a vehicle, numerous mobile phones and SIM cards, laptops and storage media (USB sticks) were found and seized.
The arrested are being taken to the Criminal Court Prosecutor of Etoloakarnania.
photo alandsmann, https://pixabay.com
