Police in Entre Ríos Province, Argentina, raided a home in Concordia on February 22, 2026, arresting a man accused of operating an illegal lending scheme and extorting borrowers, authorities announced.
The investigation began following a complaint from a woman who alleged she had been borrowing from the man for nearly a year under usurious conditions. According to the woman’s testimony, the lender retained her national identity document (DNI) and her Banco Nación debit card as “guarantees” for a $120,000 loan taken out in January 2026. The lender then allegedly used the debit card to directly debit funds from her account, taking more than $470,000, and subsequently demanded further payment.
During the raid on a property located on Avellaneda and Villaguay streets, police seized 2,200,000 Argentine pesos and $9,707 in U.S. Currency. The victim’s DNI and debit card were also recovered, along with a bill-counting machine and other documentation related to the alleged extortion scheme, according to a statement released by authorities.
Fiscal Martín Núñez ordered the operation, which targeted the alleged lender’s practice of retaining borrowers’ identification and bank cards. The suspect allegedly offered loans of less than $30,000, but imposed increasingly onerous terms when borrowers were unable to repay on time.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not released the name of the suspect. No further details were immediately available regarding potential additional victims or the scope of the alleged lending operation.
