Audit log

Every state-changing event for FX Winning / David Merino Quintana: moderation decisions on community submissions, plus corrections and updates from the news pipeline. URL-based decisions are designed to carry three independent witnesses — the original source, an Internet Archive snapshot, and a Solana memo signed by our publicly-disclosed publisher key. Archive coverage is still being backfilled, so each decision below reports its own snapshot status rather than assuming one exists.

1. #1publishby system:backfill

   2026-08-10 12:07:17Z
   Score: ? → ? (no score change)
   anchorpending

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   {"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"7110be02-af51-4049-bf0b-002f8a8452d8","kind":"publish","page_slug":"fx-winning-david-merino-quintana","published_at":"2026-08-10T12:07:17.189Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"FX Winning / David Merino Quintana","sections":[{"content":"FX Winning presented itself to investors as a regulated cryptocurrency and forex trading broker, falsely implying authorization and promising guaranteed annual returns of up to 60% through what Merino described as a 'last-generation algorithm.' The platform operated under corporate entities registered in multiple offshore jurisdictions including Cyprus, Hong Kong, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — jurisdictions selected, according to investigators, to maximize regulatory opacity. Payments to early investors were allegedly made in USDT (Tether), which further complicated asset tracing efforts. Investigators and multiple regulators have classified the operation as a classic Ponzi scheme in which capital from new participants funded payouts to earlier investors rather than any legitimate trading activity.","heading":"Overview of the Alleged Scheme","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Alleged mastermind of $53.3 billion crypto Ponzi scheme arrested in Dubai — CryptoNews.net","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptonews.net/news/security/32963109/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Leader of Spain's largest crypto scam FX Winning arrested in Dubai — Bitget News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bitget.com/news/detail/12560605443059"},{"credibility":2,"name":"David Merino and FX Winning — Atlantico Hoy (Spanish regional coverage)","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/sociedad/donde-esta-david-merino-investiga-espana-dea-americana-mexico-estafa-fxwinning_1521132_102.html"}]},{"content":"Estimates of the scheme's size vary significantly across sources and jurisdictions. Spain's Audiencia Nacional and the Guardia Civil's Central Operational Unit (UCO) have documented confirmed losses of at least €460 million, with roughly 5,400 victims represented by Spanish law firms alone. The total victim count is estimated at up to 15,000 individuals across more than 30 countries, including Spain, Mexico, Colombia, France, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand. Spanish investigators have characterized the fraud as collecting a total of approximately €46 billion ($53.3 billion USD) across all participants — a figure that likely includes reinvested paper gains and promised balances rather than cash actually deposited. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has separately cited a figure of $100 billion, though neither the DEA nor Spanish authorities have publicly explained the methodology underlying the higher estimates. All figures above the confirmed €460 million in documented losses should be treated with caution pending further judicial disclosure.","heading":"Scale and Victim Impact","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Europol — Crypto investment fraud ring dismantled in Spain after defrauding 5,000 victims worldwide","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/crypto-investment-fraud-ring-dismantled-in-spain-after-defrauding-5-000-victims-worldwide"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Man accused of quietly running a $53 billion crypto Ponzi from behind the scenes is arrested in Dubai — Yahoo News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/man-accused-quietly-running-53-082200590.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Audiencia Nacional seizure of €1 million from FX Winning network — Atlantico Hoy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/palmas/caso-fx-winning-da-paso-clave-audiencia-nacional-embarga-millon-euros-red_1549223_102.html"}]},{"content":"FX Winning recruited investors through a multilevel referral network operating under several brand names, most prominently 'We Are Turbo' (headquartered at Calle Torres 8, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), as well as The Winner Team, Zeta Group, Fiducia, and CFT Solutions. These entities recruited Multi Account Managers (MAMs) who onboarded investors across Spain and Latin America. Funds were collected through cash deposits, bank wire transfers, and cryptocurrency transactions, then routed through a corporate and banking network based in Hong Kong that used payment gateways and exchange accounts registered under third-party identities. David Merino allegedly conducted day-to-day operations from a coworking space in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria despite the platform's nominal offshore domicile. Juan Faber Esquivel served as an alleged frontman for the Hong Kong corporate entity. Prior to the June 2025 law enforcement action, Merino dissolved at least two UK-registered shell companies between 2023 and April 2025, in what investigators characterized as an effort to destroy evidence as scrutiny intensified.","heading":"Recruitment Network and Corporate Structure","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Spanish police arrest five over $542 million crypto investment scheme — The Record (Recorded Future)","type":"news_article","url":"https://therecord.media/spain-europol-cryptocurrency-investment-scheme-takedown"},{"credibility":2,"name":"FX Winning leader closed two UK shell companies before UCO investigation — El Espanol","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.elespanol.com/espana/20250701/lider-criptoestafa-fx-winning-cerro-empresas-pantalla-reino-unido-justo-cercase-uco/1003743827360_0.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"FX Winning: the network that operated from the Canary Islands — Atlantico Hoy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/economia/aqui-no-hay-inversion-hay-estafa-fx-winning-red-operaba-canarias_1548171_102.html"}]},{"content":"Multiple national financial regulators issued warnings against FX Winning beginning in 2021. Spain's Comision Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV) published a warning on March 10, 2021, stating that FX Winning was not authorized to provide investment services or perform activities reserved for regulated firms in Spain. This warning was republished and distributed by Norway's Finanstilsynet in its investor alert registry. Belgium's Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) issued its own warning against FXWinning Limited on February 13, 2023, citing the CNMV's earlier action and alerting Belgian investors that the platform operated without required authorization. Portugal's Comissao do Mercado de Valores Mobiliarios (CMVM) issued a parallel warning. Italy's CONSOB is also reported to have blacklisted FX Winning and ordered internet service providers to block access to its website, though the exact date of that action was not independently confirmed in primary sources reviewed for this investigation. Despite these regulatory actions across at least five European jurisdictions, the platform continued to recruit investors through its affiliate network.","heading":"Regulatory Warnings","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"CNMV Warning — FXWinning (via Finanstilsynet Norway investor alerts, March 10, 2021)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.finanstilsynet.no/en/investor-alerts/2021/cnmv-warning-fxwinning/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"FXWINNING LIMITED warning — FSMA Belgium (February 13, 2023)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.fsma.be/en/fxwinning-limited-httpsfxwinningpro"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Spain CNMV warns against 21 unauthorized FX and crypto firms — Finance Magnates","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/regulation/spains-cnmv-warns-against-21-unauthorised-fx-crypto-firms/"}]},{"content":"The principal judicial investigation is conducted by Spain's Audiencia Nacional (National Court), Central Instruction Court No. 6, under case reference 70/2023, led by Judge Manuel Garcia Castellon. The Guardia Civil's Central Operational Unit (UCO) serves as the primary investigative body. In June 2024, the court ordered provisional detention without bail for Robin Tassilo Laurer (German national, alleged money laundering coordinator) and Juan Faber Esquivel (alleged frontman for Hong Kong entity). On June 26, 2025, UCO agents simultaneously raided properties in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santa Lucia de Tirajana, and Getafe (Madrid) in Operation Borrelli — a coordinated action supported by Europol, which had joined the investigation in 2023. Five individuals were arrested in this operation, with three detained in the Canary Islands and two in Madrid. In July 2025, the Audiencia Nacional ordered the seizure of €1 million from The Secret Tours S.L., a company administered by Merino, which had previously been used to post bail for an associate. On June 1, 2026, David Merino Quintana was arrested by the UAE Criminal Investigation Department at approximately 6:00–7:00 PM local time while using a laptop in a shopping mall cafeteria in Dubai, pursuant to an Interpol Red Notice requested by Spanish authorities. Extradition proceedings are ongoing; Spain has a 15–40 day window to submit formal extradition documentation to the UAE, and the process is expected to take several months given UAE judicial procedures.","heading":"Law Enforcement Actions and Arrests","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Europol — Crypto investment fraud ring dismantled in Spain (Operation Borrelli, June 2025)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/crypto-investment-fraud-ring-dismantled-in-spain-after-defrauding-5-000-victims-worldwide"},{"credibility":2,"name":"David Merino arrested in Dubai — Atlantico Hoy (June 2026)","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/economia/detenido-en-dubai-grancanario-david-merino-principal-investigado-por-macroestafa-fx-winning_1562326_102.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Spain 'dismantled' €460 million crypto fraud ring, arrested 5 — Finance Magnates","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/spain-dismantled-460-million-crypto-fraud-ring-arrested-5/"},{"credibility":3,"name":"FX Winning pyramid scheme: five detained — Victifin","type":"news_article","url":"https://victifin.org/fx-winning-y-su-trama-piramidal-dejan-cinco-detenidos/"}]},{"content":"David Merino Quintana is a Spanish national and businessman from Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. Investigators allege he founded FX Winning and served as its effective leader throughout its operation. He formally departed from a public-facing role in the company in 2021 but is alleged to have continued directing the scheme from behind the scenes. Following the platform's collapse in 2023 and the commencement of the Audiencia Nacional investigation, Merino remained absent from Spain for an extended period. In March 2026, shortly before his arrest, Merino resurfaced in a video dated approximately March 21, 2026, in which he denied having retained investors' funds, claimed that investor balances were frozen due to problems with an unnamed cryptocurrency exchange, and directed blame toward associate Jose Lucas Cruz. He stated that his prolonged absence was due to personal security concerns rather than deliberate evasion. These denials were rejected by investigators; Spanish and international arrest warrants were finalized and executed on June 1, 2026. Merino has not been convicted of any crime as of the date of this investigation, and all allegations against him remain subject to judicial proceedings.","heading":"David Merino Quintana — Background and Denials","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"David Merino reappears and points to another suspect — Canarias7 (March 2026)","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.canarias7.es/canarias/gran-canaria/las-palmas-de-gran-canaria/david-merino-presunto-lider-criptoestafa-afectado-15000-20260324150016-nt.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"David Merino reappears after three years, points to Lucas Cruz — Atlantico Hoy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/economia/david-merino-reaparece-tres-anos-en-paradero-desconocido-senala-jose-lucas-cruz-por-fx-winning_1559135_102.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Alleged mastermind of $53.3 billion crypto Ponzi scheme arrested in Dubai — BitcoinWorld","type":"news_article","url":"https://bitcoinworld.co.in/crypto-ponzi-scheme-mastermind-arrested-dubai/"}]},{"content":"Beyond Spain, the FX Winning case has drawn law enforcement attention in multiple jurisdictions. The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has confirmed an active investigation into money laundering and cryptocurrency fraud connected to FX Winning, and has publicly cited a potential scheme valuation of $100 billion, though the evidentiary basis for this figure has not been disclosed in open sources. Mexico is conducting a parallel investigation; former Mexican President Lopez Obrador publicly stated his administration's commitment to pursuing the case. Colombia is also reported to be investigating. Europol joined the Spanish investigation in 2023, deploying a crypto specialist to assist in the June 2025 action day. The investigation spans jurisdictions including Spain, Estonia, France, the United States, and Hong Kong. Asset tracing and accomplice identification remain ongoing across these jurisdictions.","heading":"International Investigations","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Europol — Crypto investment fraud ring dismantled in Spain after defrauding 5,000 victims worldwide","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/crypto-investment-fraud-ring-dismantled-in-spain-after-defrauding-5-000-victims-worldwide"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Where is David Merino? Spain, DEA, and Mexico investigating FXWinning fraud — Atlantico Hoy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/sociedad/donde-esta-david-merino-investiga-espana-dea-americana-mexico-estafa-fxwinning_1521132_102.html"}]},{"content":"Key individuals identified in the investigation include: Juan Faber Esquivel, alleged CEO of We Are Turbo and frontman for the Hong Kong corporate entity, placed in provisional detention in June 2024; Robin Tassilo Laurer, a German national identified by the UCO as responsible for money laundering and fund movement, placed in provisional detention in June 2024; Jose Lucas Cruz, identified by Merino himself as bearing responsibility for the fraud and named in court documents as an administrator of entities allegedly used to launder FX Winning funds; and Patrick Schilling Fuentes, also from the Canary Islands and named as an associated defendant. Key corporate entities include: FXWinning Ltd (Cyprus/Hong Kong/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines); The Secret Tours S.L. (Spain, administered by Merino, subject to court asset seizure); We Are Turbo (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, primary Spanish recruitment vehicle); and at least two unnamed UK-registered companies dissolved between 2023 and April 2025.","heading":"Associated Individuals and Entities","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"FX Winning leader closed two UK shell companies before UCO investigation — El Espanol","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.elespanol.com/espana/20250701/lider-criptoestafa-fx-winning-cerro-empresas-pantalla-reino-unido-justo-cercase-uco/1003743827360_0.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Audiencia Nacional seizure of €1 million from FX Winning network — Atlantico Hoy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/palmas/caso-fx-winning-da-paso-clave-audiencia-nacional-embarga-millon-euros-red_1549223_102.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"David Merino and FX Winning — Atlantico Hoy (companies investigation)","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/sociedad/ocho-sociedades-david-merino-fxwinning-investigadas-audiencia-nacional_1531029_102.html"}]},{"content":"Asset recovery for victims faces significant challenges. The scheme routed funds through multiple offshore jurisdictions including Hong Kong, Cyprus, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and processed payments via cryptocurrency (primarily USDT), complicating tracing. The Audiencia Nacional has thus far seized approximately €1 million from The Secret Tours S.L. — a fraction of the documented losses. Multiple Spanish law firms, including Zaballos Abogados and Aranguez Abogados, are representing victim groups numbering in the thousands. An association of cryptocurrency victims (Asociacion Afectados Criptomonedas) has filed criminal complaints on behalf of affected parties. As of August 2026, no substantial restitution has been announced, and extradition of the principal alleged defendant remains pending. The cross-jurisdictional nature of the scheme and the use of cryptocurrency are likely to extend the recovery timeline substantially.","heading":"Victim Recovery Outlook","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":3,"name":"Afectados Estafa FX Winning — Asociacion Afectados Criptomonedas","type":"community_report","url":"https://asociacionafectadoscriptomonedas.es/fx-winning/"},{"credibility":3,"name":"Plataforma afectados FX Winning — Aranguez Abogados","type":"community_report","url":"https://www.aranguezabogados.com/plataformas/plataforma-afectados-fx-winning/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Audiencia Nacional seizure of €1 million from FX Winning network — Atlantico Hoy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/palmas/caso-fx-winning-da-paso-clave-audiencia-nacional-embarga-millon-euros-red_1549223_102.html"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Europol — Crypto investment fraud ring dismantled in Spain after defrauding 5,000 victims worldwide (Operation Borrelli)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/crypto-investment-fraud-ring-dismantled-in-spain-after-defrauding-5-000-victims-worldwide"},{"credibility":1,"name":"CNMV Warning — FXWinning (via Finanstilsynet Norway, March 10, 2021)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.finanstilsynet.no/en/investor-alerts/2021/cnmv-warning-fxwinning/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"FXWINNING LIMITED warning — FSMA Belgium (February 13, 2023)","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.fsma.be/en/fxwinning-limited-httpsfxwinningpro"},{"credibility":2,"name":"David Merino arrested in Dubai — Atlantico Hoy (June 2026)","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/economia/detenido-en-dubai-grancanario-david-merino-principal-investigado-por-macroestafa-fx-winning_1562326_102.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Man accused of quietly running a $53 billion crypto Ponzi from behind the scenes is arrested in Dubai — Yahoo News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/man-accused-quietly-running-53-082200590.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Alleged mastermind of $53.3 billion crypto Ponzi scheme arrested in Dubai — CryptoNews.net","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptonews.net/news/security/32963109/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Leader of Spain's largest crypto scam FX Winning arrested in Dubai — Bitget News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bitget.com/news/detail/12560605443059"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Alleged mastermind of $53.3 billion crypto Ponzi scheme arrested in Dubai — BitcoinWorld","type":"news_article","url":"https://bitcoinworld.co.in/crypto-ponzi-scheme-mastermind-arrested-dubai/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Spain 'dismantled' €460 million crypto fraud ring, arrested 5 — Finance Magnates","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/spain-dismantled-460-million-crypto-fraud-ring-arrested-5/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Spanish police arrest five over $542 million crypto investment scheme — The Record (Recorded Future)","type":"news_article","url":"https://therecord.media/spain-europol-cryptocurrency-investment-scheme-takedown"},{"credibility":2,"name":"David Merino reappears and points to another suspect (March 2026) — Canarias7","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.canarias7.es/canarias/gran-canaria/las-palmas-de-gran-canaria/david-merino-presunto-lider-criptoestafa-afectado-15000-20260324150016-nt.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"David Merino reappears after three years, points to Lucas Cruz — Atlantico Hoy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/economia/david-merino-reaparece-tres-anos-en-paradero-desconocido-senala-jose-lucas-cruz-por-fx-winning_1559135_102.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Where is David Merino? Spain, DEA, and Mexico investigating FXWinning fraud — Atlantico Hoy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/sociedad/donde-esta-david-merino-investiga-espana-dea-americana-mexico-estafa-fxwinning_1521132_102.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Eight companies of David Merino investigated by Audiencia Nacional — Atlantico Hoy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/sociedad/ocho-sociedades-david-merino-fxwinning-investigadas-audiencia-nacional_1531029_102.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Audiencia Nacional seizure of €1 million from FX Winning network — Atlantico Hoy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/palmas/caso-fx-winning-da-paso-clave-audiencia-nacional-embarga-millon-euros-red_1549223_102.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"FX Winning leader closed two UK shell companies before UCO investigation — El Espanol","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.elespanol.com/espana/20250701/lider-criptoestafa-fx-winning-cerro-empresas-pantalla-reino-unido-justo-cercase-uco/1003743827360_0.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"FX Winning: the network that operated from the Canary Islands — Atlantico Hoy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/economia/aqui-no-hay-inversion-hay-estafa-fx-winning-red-operaba-canarias_1548171_102.html"},{"credibility":3,"name":"FX Winning pyramid scheme: five detained — Victifin","type":"news_article","url":"https://victifin.org/fx-winning-y-su-trama-piramidal-dejan-cinco-detenidos/"},{"credibility":3,"name":"Afectados Estafa FX Winning — Asociacion Afectados Criptomonedas","type":"community_report","url":"https://asociacionafectadoscriptomonedas.es/fx-winning/"},{"credibility":3,"name":"Plataforma afectados FX Winning — Aranguez Abogados","type":"community_report","url":"https://www.aranguezabogados.com/plataformas/plataforma-afectados-fx-winning/"}],"summary":"FX Winning (also styled FXWinning) was a fraudulent cryptocurrency and foreign exchange investment platform allegedly masterminded by Spanish national David Merino Quintana, a businessman from Gran Canaria, Spain. Spanish authorities, coordinating with Europol, the US Drug Enforcement Administration, and investigators in Mexico and Colombia, allege the platform operated as a Ponzi scheme from approximately 2020 to 2023, collecting funds from up to 15,000 victims across more than 30 countries, with Spanish investigators estimating losses of at least €460 million and total funds collected potentially reaching €46 billion. Merino was arrested in Dubai on June 1, 2026, following an international arrest warrant issued by Spain's Audiencia Nacional, and extradition proceedings to Spain are pending.","timeline":[{"date":"2020-01-01","event":"FX Winning begins operations, offering cryptocurrency and forex investment returns via a multilevel affiliate network operating under We Are Turbo and other brand names across Spain and Latin America.","source":"Victifin / FX Winning investigation overview","source_url":"https://victifin.org/fx-winning-y-su-trama-piramidal-dejan-cinco-detenidos/"},{"date":"2021-03-10","event":"Spain's CNMV issues a formal warning that FX Winning is not authorized to provide investment services in Spain.","source":"Finanstilsynet Norway — CNMV Warning FXWINNING","source_url":"https://www.finanstilsynet.no/en/investor-alerts/2021/cnmv-warning-fxwinning/"},{"date":"2021-01-01","event":"David Merino Quintana formally departs from a public-facing role in FX Winning, though Spanish investigators allege he continued to direct operations from behind the scenes.","source":"Bitget News — FX Winning arrest coverage","source_url":"https://www.bitget.com/news/detail/12560605443059"},{"date":"2022-10-01","event":"The Secret Tours S.L., administered by David Merino Quintana, posts bail for an associate detained in a related matter, according to court records.","source":"Atlantico Hoy — Audiencia Nacional seizure reporting","source_url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/palmas/caso-fx-winning-da-paso-clave-audiencia-nacional-embarga-millon-euros-red_1549223_102.html"},{"date":"2023-01-01","event":"FX Winning collapses; investors are unable to withdraw funds. The platform had operated from approximately 2020 to this point.","source":"Victifin — FX Winning investigation","source_url":"https://victifin.org/fx-winning-y-su-trama-piramidal-dejan-cinco-detenidos/"},{"date":"2023-02-13","event":"Belgium's FSMA issues a formal warning against FXWINNING LIMITED, citing the CNMV's earlier action.","source":"FSMA Belgium — FXWINNING LIMITED warning","source_url":"https://www.fsma.be/en/fxwinning-limited-httpsfxwinningpro"},{"date":"2023-01-01","event":"Europol joins the Spanish investigation into FX Winning, providing coordination, operational support, strategic analysis, and later deploying a crypto specialist.","source":"Europol press release — Operation Borrelli","source_url":"https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/crypto-investment-fraud-ring-dismantled-in-spain-after-defrauding-5-000-victims-worldwide"},{"date":"2023-01-01","event":"Spain's Audiencia Nacional opens case 70/2023 into FX Winning under Central Instruction Court No. 6, Judge Manuel Garcia Castellon, investigating fraud, money laundering, and criminal organization charges.","source":"Atlantico Hoy — DEA and Mexico investigation coverage","source_url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/sociedad/donde-esta-david-merino-investiga-espana-dea-americana-mexico-estafa-fxwinning_1521132_102.html"},{"date":"2024-06-01","event":"The Audiencia Nacional orders provisional detention without bail for Robin Tassilo Laurer and Juan Faber Esquivel, two key alleged associates of Merino.","source":"Atlantico Hoy — FX Winning operations reporting","source_url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/economia/aqui-no-hay-inversion-hay-estafa-fx-winning-red-operaba-canarias_1548171_102.html"},{"date":"2025-04-01","event":"David Merino dissolves at least one of two UK-registered shell companies in the weeks before the UCO's first enforcement action in the FX Winning case.","source":"El Espanol — FX Winning UK shell companies reporting","source_url":"https://www.elespanol.com/espana/20250701/lider-criptoestafa-fx-winning-cerro-empresas-pantalla-reino-unido-justo-cercase-uco/1003743827360_0.html"},{"date":"2025-06-26","event":"Operation Borrelli: UCO agents simultaneously raid properties in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santa Lucia de Tirajana, and Getafe. Five individuals are arrested, and searches are conducted at five locations. Europol provides on-site crypto specialist support.","source":"Europol press release — Operation Borrelli","source_url":"https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/crypto-investment-fraud-ring-dismantled-in-spain-after-defrauding-5-000-victims-worldwide"},{"date":"2025-07-29","event":"The Audiencia Nacional orders the seizure of €1 million from The Secret Tours S.L., administered by David Merino Quintana, in connection with the FX Winning investigation.","source":"Atlantico Hoy — Audiencia Nacional seizure reporting","source_url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/palmas/caso-fx-winning-da-paso-clave-audiencia-nacional-embarga-millon-euros-red_1549223_102.html"},{"date":"2026-03-21","event":"David Merino Quintana releases a public video denying personal responsibility for investor losses, claiming funds are frozen at an unnamed exchange and directing blame toward associate Jose Lucas Cruz.","source":"Canarias7 — David Merino reappears (March 2026)","source_url":"https://www.canarias7.es/canarias/gran-canaria/las-palmas-de-gran-canaria/david-merino-presunto-lider-criptoestafa-afectado-15000-20260324150016-nt.html"},{"date":"2026-06-01","event":"David Merino Quintana is arrested by UAE Criminal Investigation Department officers at approximately 6:00–7:00 PM local time at a shopping mall in Dubai, pursuant to an Interpol Red Notice at the request of Spain's Audiencia Nacional. Extradition proceedings to Spain begin.","source":"Atlantico Hoy — Arrest in Dubai (June 2026)","source_url":"https://www.atlanticohoy.com/economia/detenido-en-dubai-grancanario-david-merino-principal-investigado-por-macroestafa-fx-winning_1562326_102.html"}]},"v":1}

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