Three individuals face custody hearings in Oslo amid elder fraud investigation

Three individuals are facing custody hearings in Oslo District Court as police have arrested two additional suspects in connection with elder fraud cases. Mikael Sorter, a section leader, confirmed the arrests.

Since the beginning of 2024, Sorter’s team has uncovered 58 instances of fraud targeting the elderly, with 36 occurring since August 30. Notably, six such fraudulent visits to seniors have taken place since October 1, when the media last reported on the surge in these crimes.

The police have identified specific areas in Oslo where elder fraud has been perpetrated this year, though the marked points on their map represent general regions and do not disclose exact addresses.

The individuals set for a hearing on Friday, a woman and two men in their twenties, are charged with complicity in elder fraud. The arrests made on Friday bring the total number of people apprehended for elder fraud since September 1 to 18. Authorities believe these individuals are linked to various criminal networks operating simultaneously.

The prosecution has requested that the three suspects be held in custody for two weeks, banning them from communicating through letters or visits. The woman arrested on Thursday, as well as one of the men, both deny any wrongdoing, according to their defense lawyers.

The scams involved perpetrators posing as police officers or bank employees, subsequently leading to accomplices arriving at the victims’ homes to collect their bank cards and phones.