Belgian authorities have arrested a 19-year-old suspected of playing a leading role in a European phishing and money-laundering network that allegedly stole more than €500,000 from victims through online scams.

The case reflects a rise in phishing and impersonation scams across the financial sector. Earlier this year, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis reported that impersonation scams increased more than 1,400% in 2025 as criminal groups increasingly used artificial intelligence, phishing-as-a-service tools and professional money-laundering networks to target victims.

Belgian Investigation Led to Teen's Arrest

According to Belgian police, the Federal Judicial Police opened the investigation in March 2026 after phishing attacks became a priority in the region. Investigators said the group targeted victims with fake government emails and phone calls. The messages were designed to persuade victims to install remote-access software, allowing the attackers to gain access to their devices and financial accounts.

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Police arrested the suspect at an Airbnb property in Antwerp, where they also detained a second suspect. The main suspect later appeared before an investigating judge, who issued an arrest warrant.

Authorities said the criminal network relied on money mules and cash carriers to move stolen funds before laundering the proceeds through cryptocurrencies.

❗️ Belgian police arrested a 19-year-old from Antwerp suspected of being a key figure, possibly the ringleader, in a European phishing and money-laundering network, picking him up in an Airbnb on June 29 after he returned from Dubai.

Prosecutors say the group stole over… pic.twitter.com/lxGoh7Hm05

— International Cyber Digest (@IntCyberDigest) July 3, 2026

Another Teen Faced Crypto Theft Charges

The Belgian case follows another recent prosecution involving social engineering and cryptocurrency theft. Last month, a Canadian man pleaded guilty in the United States after prosecutors said he had been charged at age 19 with stealing more than $13 million in cryptocurrency through social engineering schemes.

Prosecutors said he and his co-conspirators impersonated employees of Google, Coinbase and hardware wallet firm Trezor to gain access to victims' crypto accounts.