Sentence Handed Down After Plea Deal
Spain’s National Court, Criminal Division Two, recently issued its final verdict against Jordi Arias (nicknamed ‘Lupin’). He was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for continuous fraud and fined €1,440. The court also imposed a special injunction, banning him from engaging in any internet-related commercial activities for five years. The sentence resulted from a plea agreement between his defense lawyer, Antonio Martín, and the prosecution, allowing him to avoid a potential eight-year sentence for the initial charges of ‘aggravated fraud’ and ‘membership in a criminal organization’.
In addition to Jordi Arias, his three accomplices were also sentenced. Two were sentenced to two years in prison as accessories to fraud, while the third received an 18-month sentence. All three were fined €1,080 and banned from engaging in internet-related business for three years. All four defendants were ordered to jointly and severally compensate the financial losses of the more than 700 victims nationwide.
A Sophisticated Fraud Network
According to the facts established by the court, Jordi Arias was the main organizer of the fraud ring, which was highly active between 2018 and 2019. With the help of technical accomplice Sergio S. R. and logistical support from Roly Jairo S. M. and David C. P., they created numerous fake shopping websites that closely mimicked legitimate stores. These sites primarily offered electronic products such as mobile phones, computers, game consoles, and home appliances.
Consumers who placed orders on these sites transferred money via bank transfer, Bizum, or credit card to bank accounts opened by the criminal group using stolen third-party identities. However, the victims never received the goods they paid for. Furthermore, the group used the stolen identities to apply for loans, causing additional financial and legal damages to the victims.
From Local Reports to a Nationwide Case
The investigation began in 2018 in the town of Requena, in the Valencian Community. After the first victim reports were filed in the local judicial district, the Requena Court of Investigation No. 2 coordinated with the Spanish Civil Guard’s Central Operative Unit (UCO) to launch ‘Operation Lupin’. By consolidating and analyzing scattered reports, investigators gradually uncovered a vast, nationwide fraud network.
The seven-year investigation ultimately confirmed that the group defrauded a total of €667,466 from 732 victims across Spain. In the Valencian Community alone, the amount involved reached approximately €55,000 from 122 transactions.
’Lupin’s’ Criminal History
This is not the first time Jordi Arias has been convicted of fraud. In 2024, a criminal court in Ponferrada sentenced him to ten months and 16 days in prison for a series of similar scams committed in 2017. Despite his prior record, the aggravating circumstance of recidivism was not applied in the current sentencing.
Jordi Arias’s nickname, ‘Lupin’, is derived from Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief character created by French author Maurice Leblanc. He used it to cultivate an image of a ‘digital fugitive’. Reportedly, he was arrested in a Madrid nightclub in 2022 with multiple outstanding warrants and €12,000 in cash. It is estimated that at the peak of his criminal activities, he was making up to €300,000 per month.
