Ten charged over extortion call center in Quito

Ten people are facing charges in Ecuador for their alleged involvement in an illicit call center in Quito that specialized in extortion. The suspects were apprehended during an operation on August 21 in a building in the northern part of the capital, where the company Latameris Support SAS was operating.

Prosecutors requested pre-trial detention for the 10 individuals, citing evidence presented during the preliminary hearing. This evidence included testimonies from 26 call center collaborators who identified the accused as leaders responsible for intimidation and extortion activities. According to these testimonies, operators were given databases and tasked with making approximately 120 calls daily, facing fines if they failed to meet collection targets.

The investigation points to a Chinese national, identified as Yang X., as the alleged leader of the group. He is accused of assigning roles such as leaders, auditors, accountants, and telephone operators to the other members. During the operation, authorities seized 172 computers and 76 cell phones, which are being held as evidence.

The company, Latameris Support, reportedly offered loans through an application named "Cash Cash" to individuals in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile. When borrowers fell behind on payments, they allegedly received threats, including the diffusion of their photos on social media, often accompanied by AI-generated montages designed to damage their reputation. A charges hearing is scheduled for September 14.