Filenews 30 January 2023
Forgery, false representations, impersonation and fraud in the sale or mortgaging of property are the predominant offences on the list of financial crimes.
According to crime statistics, from 2019 to 2021, registered cases for financial crime amounted to 1,642, and of these, 1,447 were resolved. According to the data, the registered cases in the crime register in 2019 were 425, the solved cases are 382, and the resolution rate was at 89.9%. In 2020, there were 555 registered cases, 478 cases resolved and 86.1% of cases resolved.
In 2021, there were 662 registered cases in the crime register, 587 cases resolved and 88.7% of cases detected. Among the "favorite" financial offenses of the year by far, forgery and false representations. Among the "popular" offenses of the three-year period are false representations, fraud, etc., obtaining credit by false representations, currency related offenses and fraud in the sale or mortgaging of property.
In addition, the Police received complaints about money laundering (the Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering Activities Law).
Specifically, in 2021, there are two registered cases which were both resolved. There are two registered cases of theft by civil servants which have been investigated. The registered cases for false representations and fraud were 156, the cases solved were 140 and the resolution rate 89.7%. The registered cases for theft by clerks and servants amounted to 36, the cases solved are 34 and the detection rate 94.4%. There were 8 cases registered in the crime register for theft by directors or officers of companies and were investigated. There were 23 registered cases for theft by agents and 19 cases of detection.
The detection rate for this offense is 82.6%. The registered cases in the crime register for forgery are 328, the solved cases are 302 and the detection rate 92.1%.
According to the data, the registered cases for currency-related offences are 25, the cases solved are 23 and the resolution rate is 92%. The allegations of fraud in the sale or mortgaging of property were 9 and fraudulent transactions in real estate owned by another were 2.
There were 12 registered anti-money laundering and anti-trafficking cases, 11 cases resolved and 91.7% of cases detected. The registered cases for computer-related forgery are 3, the detected 2 and the success rate is 66.7%. There were 25 registered cases of computer-related fraud, 5 cases resolved and the detection rate is 20%. There are now many allegations of financial crime made before supervisory authorities such as the Hellenic Capital Market Commission.
The internet has also created the financial offences of traders, which is why the Cyprus Police and the Office for Combating Cybercrime are calling on the public to be especially careful.
