(MarketingClick-Reuters)--Canadian police said Thursday they had broken up a multimillion-dollar telemarketing fraud in Toronto, arresting the alleged mastermind.
The raid marks the third time this year the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have swooped down on telemarketing scams with international ramifications.
``One Canadian was arrested and there are more arrests to come. It was a very important scam,'' said Mike Cote, a spokesman for the Mounties.
He said the investigation started back in January 2000 after a victim complained to police.
``Some of the victims were wealthy and educated professionals while others were ordinary citizens,'' Cote said.
Police described the latest scheme as sophisticated, but gave few other details. The operation was based in the Toronto area, police said, and had claimed victims across Canada, the United States and in Europe.
Cote said several search warrants were executed in relation to the case. Officers seized documents, gems and cash all tied to the operation.
