A 36-year-old man from Prague has been charged after allegedly posing as a courier to collect cash from victims of a cryptocurrency fraud in the Žďár region. He was detained by the investigators during a handover of 260,000 crowns that was part of a broader scam costing the victims more than one million crowns.
According to police spokesperson Michaela Lébrová, the man has been accused of money laundering and could face up to six years in prison if convicted.
The case began in late August, when a 53-year-old man from Žďár nad Sázavou fell for a sophisticated online investment hoax. He reportedly came across a video circulating on social media that appeared to show former prime minister Andrej Babiš promoting lucrative cryptocurrency opportunities. The video was likely created using artificial intelligence and contained a link to a fake investment platform. Believing the offer to be genuine, the man paid an initial fee and was soon contacted by someone claiming to represent an investment company.
The alleged representative convinced him to invest more, and the victim even took out a bank loan to transfer a larger amount to what he believed was his new investment account. The app used by the fraudsters displayed convincing charts suggesting the investment was growing rapidly. Encouraged by the supposed profits, the man persuaded his partner to invest as well. She also took out a loan and sent her funds through her partner to the same account. Together they invested over one million crowns.
When they later attempted to withdraw their gains, they were told they first needed to pay various “administrative fees” and “taxes.” The scammers then arranged for the payments to be made in cash to couriers, who provided pre-agreed passwords as proof of legitimacy. The victims followed these instructions several times, handing over large sums of money.
The deception began to unravel when another cash pickup was scheduled. Growing suspicious, the victim contacted police. Officers prepared a sting operation and arrested the courier as he arrived to collect an additional 260,000 crowns. Investigators believe the suspect played a role in laundering money on behalf of the organizers, who may be operating from abroad.
The man was taken into custody and later charged with legalizing proceeds of crime. Police continue to investigate the wider fraud, which they warn fits a broader trend of AI-generated videos and fake celebrity endorsements being used to lure victims into online investment schemes.
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