Investigations continue into fraud scheme targeting Moroccan migrants to Portugal

Investigations continue into fraud scheme targeting Moroccan migrants to Portugal
Tuesday 25 March 2025 - 11:56

Authorities in Agadir have intensified their investigation into a fraudulent migration scheme involving a study-abroad mediation center and a private training institute. The probe focuses on the owner of the mediation center, who is suspected of defrauding individuals seeking to migrate to Portugal through fake employment contracts.

According to well-informed Hespress AR sources, police investigators have requested documentation from the accused to verify the legality of her operations and financial transactions.

Meanwhile, complaints regarding bad checks issued by the suspect are being processed by the public prosecutor’s office at the Agadir Court of First Instance.

These checks, which bounced at local bank branches, were reportedly used as guarantees for victims who were ultimately denied Portuguese visas.

The suspect allegedly collaborated with the manager of a private training institute, who is accused of selling fraudulent diplomas. These diplomas were used in visa applications, along with contracts tied to fictitious companies lacking any real economic activity. The investigation has uncovered a pattern of funds being collected from migration applicants and funneled abroad.

The fraudulent scheme extended beyond Morocco, involving networks operating in Portugal and France. The training institute, originally set up for vocational education, turned into a hub for producing counterfeit certificates in fields such as nursing, electrical engineering, and plumbing.

Victims were lured into the scam with promises of stable two-year contracts, only to discover that the companies offering employment were nonexistent.

As investigations continue, the list of victims has expanded to include engineers, traders, nurses, and banking professionals. Some had even applied for family visas, paying in installments through a Brazilian-Portuguese lawyer, who was presented as a legal guarantor between employers and migrant workers.

Rather than transferring funds through banks or money transfer services, victims made cash payments to the mother and brother of a key Moroccan intermediary, as well as other associates. Once the payments were made, the fraudsters cut off all communication, leaving many hopeful migrants stranded without recourse.

Authorities are now working to dismantle the network and ensure justice for the victims.

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