A Latvian citizen, considered by authorities in several countries to be the most talented document forger in Europe, was arrested this week in Spain. He was wanted by the authorities in his native country, after he managed to escape a year ago, managing to reach Spain with a false identity, where he continued his activity. The Spanish police also found in the house a Romanian identity card of the actor Brad Pitt, a very well-made sample with which the Latvian convinced his customers.
According to El Pais, the Spanish authorities have been warned since last year that a document forger wanted by the authorities of several European countries could be in Spain. He managed to escape last summer, when the police took him out of custody and took him to a court hearing.
Investigators from Spain, Latvia and Poland launched “Operation Riga” to catch the criminal. During the investigation, they discovered that the forgeries he made were almost perfect. Forged identity cards or driving licenses from countries such as Romania, France, Latvia, Czech Republic, Belgium, Portugal, Lithuania or the Netherlands. He also forged health cards, disability certificates, subscriptions or Covid certificates. He created 25 different identities that he used separately for apartment rentals or banking. He even had a fake ship captain’s ID.
Multiple identities allowed him to live parallel lives. He had one wife each in China, Germany and Latvia, and he has children with at least one of them. He supported them all financially.
In Benalmádena, in Spain, where he had settled after fleeing Latvia, he had a girlfriend, who was also arrested for complicity. “He is a very sociable, cordial person, able to establish connections with anyone. And they are all eager to help him“, said Maris Priednieks, an officer in the organized crime unit of the Latvian police.
Once in Spain, the man quickly procured all the equipment and materials needed for forgeries. The fidelity of the documents surprised the police. “I have never seen anything like this, of such good quality. His fakes are almost undetectable”, says Manuel Arias, chief inspector of the Spanish National Police investigative group. This structure arrested the fugitive, a few days ago, while he was sleeping in the rented apartment.
The Spanish agents found 10,150 euros and 86 false documents in his house, eight of which were in his name. In the catalog he presented to the customers, there were identity documents from Romania, France or Latvia, with the name and photo of the actor Brad Pitt.
Authorities believe that, in addition to providing him with a lavish living, forging documents was a real passion for this man. The investigation showed that he practiced the activity he allegedly learned from YouTube on a daily basis.
Clients would contact him on Telegram or the dark web and pay him between 500 and 800 euros for each document. The profile of buyers was very varied: from people who did not have a license and wanted to drive, to illegal migrants who wanted to stay in Europe or wanted criminals.
Publisher: DC
