Paraguay police and prosecutors raid Asunción office in suspected illegal online gambling probe

The search

Officers from the National Police's specialised cybercrime department, part of its directorate for economic and financial crimes, searched office 1802 on the 18th floor of The Top Business building on Aviadores del Chaco avenue, in Asunción's corporate district, on Thursday, October 29, according to an account published by Radio 1000's 1000 Noticias. The outlet said the search was carried out in a case concerning suspected offences under the Gambling Law and its amendments, was led by prosecutor Orlando Edgar Paiva Notario, and had technical support from the National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT).

1000 Noticias reported that the purpose was to verify information gathered during the investigation about the irregular operation of betting and games of chance on online platforms, activity that investigators said was operationally linked to companies identified as Telecorp, JFT Hermanos S.A. and Tokensport S.A. It said the search followed intelligence work, surveillance and monitoring of digital environments by police investigators.

What was seized

According to 1000 Noticias, officers seized bundles of cash in guaraníes and US dollars, receipts and accounting vouchers, a banknote counting machine, hundreds of mobile phones, SIM cards and computer equipment. The evidence was taken to the Public Prosecutor's Office for forensic examination, the outlet said.

ABC Color reported that, according to the investigation, the companies operated behind the front of a call-centre business, used the cover of IT services to recruit users, took bets on unauthorised platforms and paid out winnings by direct bank transfer. The newspaper said investigators believe the SIM cards were used to operate the accounts and appeared to be aimed at evading financial controls.

Suspects and possible new charges

ABC Color reported that investigators estimate the operation handled an average of PYG 1.2 billion a month, a figure prosecutor Paiva also gave to América TV. It quoted prosecutor Paiva as saying the staff hired by the company knew the business was illegal, and reported that authorities had identified four people in charge of logistics, Paraguayan and Argentine nationals. The four were detained on the prosecutor's orders, and three of them are Argentine nationals, Diario Popular and América TV reported on October 30. The Public Prosecutor's Office said the labour rights of administrative and call-centre staff would be protected, according to the newspaper.

According to ABC Color, investigators said the companies repeatedly changed their names and registered line of business to avoid checks by the National Gambling Commission (Conajzar) and the tax administration. The newspaper said that, although the case was opened over the illegal operation of games of chance, prosecutors expect to widen it in the coming days to money laundering and tax evasion.

The companies named in the reports had not issued public statements as of October 30. The Public Prosecutor's Office had not published a statement on the search on its website or X account.

Detentions and seized items

Four people were detained on the prosecutor's orders, Diario Popular and radio Ñanduti reported on October 30. Diario Popular said three of them are Argentine nationals; América TV reported that three were Argentine and one Paraguayan. No charges against them had been made public at the time of the update.

According to Diario Popular and Ñanduti, officers seized a white Porsche and a white BMW, USD 22,000 and PYG 108,500,000 in cash, 40 computer towers, 15 laptops, 585 mobile phones, 56 unused SIM cards, company stamps and clothing, two USB drives, a banknote counting machine and receipts. América TV put the number of phones at 285.

“An international online betting network that moved large amounts of money in breach of the Gambling Law has been dismantled. The organisation had a whole infrastructure for operating illegal betting,” Chief Commissioner Rolando Benítez, director of the police's economic crimes division, was quoted as saying by Diario Popular.

Prosecutor Orlando Paiva told América TV that the office had allegedly operated as the front of a call centre used to recruit users for online betting platforms, with estimated monthly flows of PYG 1.2 billion. The investigation is seeking to determine how the companies operated and who is responsible, the broadcaster reported.

Context

Two days earlier, on October 27, six premises in Capiatá, in Central department, were searched in a separate investigation into slot machines allegedly operated near schools without Conajzar authorisation, according to OviedoPress, which cited the Public Prosecutor's Office and quoted prosecutor Paiva.

The raids come as Paraguay's Senate reviews a government bill to replace Conajzar with a new regulator; the bill would create DINAJZAR, and unlicensed online gambling sites would face immediate blocking.

Image rights: if you hold rights to an image used here and want it credited differently or removed, contact support@askspinner.com.

Updated 30 Oct 2026: Added the detention of four people and the items seized in the raid, as reported by Paraguayan media.

Updated October 30, 2026: Clarified that the four suspects have been detained, gave both reported phone counts and aligned the attribution of the PYG 1.2 billion monthly estimate.