A 39-year-old Portuguese national, identified by local media as Pedro Mourato, has been arrested in Bangkok for allegedly orchestrating a massive crypto and credit card fraud worth over €500 million.
Authorities detained Mourato on October 2, 2025, at a luxury shopping mall in central Bangkok after receiving a tip from a journalist visiting Thailand.
The breakthrough came when a Portuguese journalist on holiday in Thailand spotted Mourato and notified local authorities, recognizing him from earlier media reports. What followed was a five-hour search by more than ten officers, ending with Mourato’s arrest for exceeding his permitted stay in the country.
Authorities revealed that Mourato’s criminal network was built around cryptocurrency-related investment fraud, with a particular focus on Bitcoin schemes.
Thai police further confirmed that he deceived local victims in Bangkok of over $30,800 shortly after arriving on a tourist visa in 2023.
His illicit operations allegedly stretched across Europe and Asia, encompassing passport forgery, credit card misuse, and cryptocurrency manipulation.
As per dozens of media reports and Interpol databases, Mourato is linked to Swiss bank accounts that allegedly moved more than €500 million, much of it originating from fraudulent crypto investments.
His schemes reportedly lured unsuspecting investors with promises of high returns on Bitcoin holdings before diverting the funds to offshore accounts.
Also a few reports suggest Mourato had been living a life of luxury in Bangkok, spending freely at upscale restaurants and boutiques while hiding behind fake identities. Police seized several laptops and smartphones believed to hold key evidence, including access to crypto wallets and forged documents.
The case has struck a chord with many, underscoring how digital currencies, once seen as a symbol of financial freedom, can also be exploited by criminals to steal from unsuspecting investors.