A European wine fraud ring has been accused of selling fake French wine for up to $16,000 per bottle. Authorities in Italy, along with Europol and other law enforcement agencies, conducted searches on 14 properties and seized a significant amount of wine, bottles, counterfeit stickers, and machines used to recap bottles. The fake wine was produced in Italy and sold worldwide through legitimate wine traders. In total, about $1.5 million in electronic equipment and over $100,000 in cash were confiscated during the operation.
A 40-year-old Russian man was implicated in the scheme, with previous involvement in another wine fraud case under a different identity. The ring’s techniques were similar to those used by a previous group busted in 2015. French prosecutors stated that the recent network had sold over $2 million worth of fraudulent wine before being apprehended. Additionally, a French national has been indicted on charges of fraud and money laundering.
The Russian suspect is expected to appear before a judge in Dijon, along with the French national. The investigation into the wine fraud ring highlights the ongoing issue of fraudulent practices in the wine industry, impacting both consumers and legitimate producers.
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