Two men were arrested on Wednesday, September 9, by the Oost-Nederland police unit for alleged cryptocurrency fraud. The two men are suspected of using counterfeit cryptocurrency to buy several watches on Markplaats, police report.
Police received multiple reports from defrauded victims in August 2025. The sellers were allegedly selling Rolex watches on Marktplaats and had arranged for the suspect to pay with EURC, a legitimate cryptocurrency. In reality, the suspect paid with counterfeit cryptocurrency, which was reportedly indistinguishable from the real EURC.
The 24-year-old suspect is from Geleen, and the 45-year-old is from Leiden. Officers searched the Geleen suspect’s homes, seizing firearms and drugs. An examining magistrate ordered him to be held in custody for 14 days. The man from Leiden is no longer in custody but remains a suspect.
Police urged extra caution with cryptocurrency payments, especially for people who are nto familiar with them. Criminals can use counterfeit tokens that appear genuine, making ti hard to tell immediately whether a payment is real. The transaction can look like the money has arrived, when in reality it is all fake. Authorities advise to only use payment methods one knows and trusts.
The investigation continues, with the police now examining whether the two were involved in any other cryptocurrency fraud cases.
