European police agency Europol has issued an alert for a Frenchman - who is one of Europe’s most-wanted men - in connection with an alleged €5 million fraud.
Europol added 57-year-old Philippe Stanislas Antoine Wasila to its list of most wanted fugitives on Monday, November 11, just under seven months after a European arrest warrant and an international arrest warrant were issued on April 17 this year.
A headshot of Mr Wasila, shared by Europoleumostwanted.eu
The Luxembourg-born Frenchman - who reportedly speaks several languages including French, English, German, Italian and Greek - is suspected of “defrauding investors” by posing as “a successful businessman and lawyer”.
His suspected fraud is estimated at €5.4 million, states Europol.
Mr Wasila is also suspected of “falsifying administrative documents and trafficking in false administrative documents, laundering the proceeds of crime, organised or armed robbery, fraud”, and “swindling”.
“He claimed to be the director of a so-called investment fund, promising substantial returns from an innovative project involving the development of an autonomous drone”, said Europol.
However, Mr Wasila is accused of using the money instead to allegedly set up a “network of opaque companies and foreign bank accounts” to divert investors' money and use it to “finance his private lifestyle”.
Unlike some of the most-wanted fugitives on Europol’s list, Mr Wasila is not considered to be a danger to the public.
Although Mr Wasila is still on the run, on November 12 he sent an email to Luxembourg media Virgule and Luxembourg Wort, in which he reiterated the principle of “innocent until proven guilty”, and said that the case was “more than 10 years old”.
Anyone with any information is invited to contact the Fugitive Active Search Team (FAST) Luxembourg by e-mail at fast.lux@police.etat.lu, or via the website www.eumostwanted.eu. Anonymous tips are allowed.
