Florence's Treasure Lost to a Clever Trick

In a shocking turn of events, a group of criminals managed to trick the organization responsible for Florence's famous cathedral into handing over a huge amount of money. This wasn't a heist with masks and guns, but a clever email scam that fooled the managers into sending nearly 1.8 million euros to the wrong people.

The Scam Unveiled

The criminals posed as a trusted company that works on restoring and preserving the cathedral and other city landmarks. By intercepting emails, they convinced the managers to transfer the money. The police were able to recover about 300,000 euros, but the organization is still missing almost 1.5 million euros.

A Larger Criminal Network

This scam is part of a larger problem. The police investigation uncovered a network of loan-sharking and money laundering involving Chinese criminal organizations in Italy. The chief prosecutor, Francesco Prete, expressed concern about the growing scale of Chinese money laundering, as the source of the cash is often unclear.

Arrest Warrants Issued

The police have issued arrest warrants for 10 people, including Italians, Nigerians, Albanians, and Chinese nationals. They are accused of money laundering and issuing false invoices. However, none of the suspects have been named publicly.

A Stark Reminder of Cybercrime Risks

This incident highlights the vulnerability of even the most respected institutions to cybercrime. It also underscores the need for better security measures to protect against email scams. The loss of such a significant amount of money is a stark reminder of the potential consequences of falling for these types of fraud.