CryptoSpain / Alvaro Romillo / Madeira Invest Club
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anchored·4GaJNk…DBewSummary
Álvaro Romillo Castillo, a Spanish cryptocurrency influencer operating publicly as 'CryptoSpain,' was arrested on November 6, 2025, by Spain's Civil Guard under Operation PONEI on charges of large-scale fraud, money laundering, and criminal organization in connection with the Madeira Invest Club (MIC), an alleged Ponzi scheme that authorities say defrauded over 3,000 investors of approximately €260 million (roughly $300 million USD) between early 2023 and September 2024. A Spanish National Court judge ordered Romillo held without bail citing flight risk, and the case has acquired a political dimension following revelations of an alleged undisclosed €100,000 cash transfer from Romillo to far-right MEP Luis 'Alvise' Pérez Fernández days before the June 2024 European elections. Romillo faces up to 18 years in prison if charges are classified as mass offenses.
Connected Entities
1 entities- + 3 more
Timeline(13 events)
2023
Madeira Invest Club launches, marketed as a private investment group offering 20–53% annual returns through contracts linked to digital art, luxury goods, and crypto assets.
CoinDesk, CoinLive, Brave New CoinMay 2023
Spain's CNMV issues a formal public warning that Madeira Invest Club lacks authorization to operate as a collective investment institution. The scheme continues operating.
Brave New Coin, Born2InvestMarch 2024
According to Spanish prosecutors, MEP Luis 'Alvise' Pérez contacts Álvaro Romillo requesting assistance setting up a cryptocurrency wallet to receive anonymous campaign donations of €300,000–€360,000.
Euronews27 May 2024
Álvaro Romillo allegedly transfers €100,000 in cash to MEP Luis 'Alvise' Pérez, days before the European Parliament elections. The transfer is alleged to be undisclosed and in violation of Spanish campaign finance law.
Euronews, RussSpain6 June 2024
Two companies linked to the MIC network — 'Wortned' (owner: Álvaro Romillo) and 'Wortonova' (owner: Mihaela Munteanu Manole; administrator: Domingo Romillo Iriarte) — are registered in Tirana, Albania.
VoxNews AlbaniaSeptember 2024
Madeira Invest Club ceases operations. Investors begin reporting blocked withdrawals and file complaints with Spanish authorities.
Brave New Coin, Yahoo Finance27 September 2024
MEP Alvise Pérez publicly admits on Telegram to receiving €100,000 in cash from Romillo 'as a freelancer without an invoice.' Spain's Supreme Court prosecutors open a separate investigation into Pérez for illegal campaign financing.
Euronews2025
Albanian company 'Wortned,' owned by Álvaro Romillo, is temporarily suspended by Albanian authorities.
VoxNews Albania2 October 2025
Albania's Special Court authorizes seizure of both Albanian MIC-linked companies ('Wortned' and 'Wortonova').
VoxNews Albania15 October 2025
Albanian company 'Wortonova,' administered by Domingo Romillo Iriarte, formally ceases operations.
VoxNews Albania6 November 2025
Álvaro Romillo Castillo is arrested by Spain's Civil Guard under Operation PONEI, in coordination with Europol and law enforcement from the US, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
CoinDesk, The Block, Yahoo Finance7 November 2025
Romillo appears before the Audiencia Nacional. Judge José Luis Calama orders him held without bail in provisional prison, citing flight risk and the discovery of €29 million in a Singapore bank account. Romillo claims he has repaid approximately 2,700 investors in cash but provides no documentation.
Yahoo Finance, Brave New Coin, RussSpain16 December 2025
Private prosecution counsel in the MIC case publicly praises the work of Judge Calama, the Public Prosecutor's Office, and the UCO, indicating the formal proceedings are progressing before the Audiencia Nacional.
ConfilegalDecision Log
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- hash: 4ZeXbTgzpjucEFCdTj8g6MRFMr6b66NQP9EKgXEneS8B
- hash: FAWVTNS9gsYu5mu3xusVMPQDJ61N8itUfsTZUVi8A7sN
This investigation is cryptographically anchored to the Solana blockchain (7 events). 14 of 17 cited source URLs have an Internet Archive snapshot.
model: claude-sonnet-4-6
generated: 5/31/2026, 7:34:57 AM
last updated: 7/26/2026, 8:02:41 AM
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