Spanish police have arrested a local woman who faked her kidnapping to extract ransom money she then used to play bingo. The incident took place in the Catalonia region, where an unnamed 47-year-old woman was reported missing by her husband, Mossos d’Esuadra reported. 

Abductee Stages Own Kidnapping to Get Ransom Money

The incident took place earlier this month when the spouse called in police to report that his wife had been abducted and that a $7,000 ransom had been demanded. Authorities dispatched a specialized unit that deals with kidnappings, instructing the man to comply with the demands and pay part of the ransom money. 

Money was then withdrawn at a bank in Badalona by the culprits, who turned out to be the alleged missing person. Security cameras footage revealed that it was the husband’s wife who was collecting the money. Police officers were then able to pinpoint her location to a local casino, where she was again caught on camera. 

The woman was arrested that same day and charged with extortion and staging a crime. A criminal investigation is now ongoing, and the culprit has been released on bail since. In light of the crime, Spanish authorities reminded the public to avoid staging such crimes.

Kidnappings in Spain happen at least several times a year, making the job of competent authorities more difficult when they have to deal with bogus calls. People who stage a crime are subject to penalties as outlined by the country’s Penal Code. 

Kidnappings and Attacks on Gamblers Are Not Rare

Whether in Spain or across the Atlantic, casino parking lots are often dangerous places. Over the years, a good number of people have been attacked or kidnapped from or near the vicinity of casinos, with money often the motivation behind such acts.

In an unrelated case, a gambler in Oakridge has been reported missing since September 23, and he has not been seen since. The man, one 33-year-old Jeffrey Lee, went to gamble at a casino at 10 pm in an Oakridge highrise where he was supposed to meet with friends and associates. 

A man in Sydney man abducted a child on Gold Coast to recover a $5.5 million gambling debt from his father. The 55-year-old at the time Zhen Jie Zhang was eventually apprehended, and the child safely returned. Zhang was handed down a seven-year sentence in 2020. 

Professional poker players have often found themselves assaulted outside of card rooms, especially after a big event. Tom Steinbach was shot back in 2018 in front of Texas Card House in Austin. Similar incidents continue to criss-cross the world of gambling, and while most have a happy ending, some do not.