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An investigation by European broadcasters has revealed that a WhatsApp group chat called "Traders of Greater Europe" was used to send hundreds of millions of euros in cash around the world, funding organized crime and extremism without a paper trail. The 532-member group facilitated cash transfers across borders for their clients, including to British cities like Birmingham and London. In one instance, payments from Brussels were sent to militants from the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) investigative journalism network uncovered the group chat, which contained over 82,000 messages sent between late February and December 2022. Belgian investigating magistrate Vincent Guerra discovered the group during an investigation into terror financing, noting that the number of transactions was "staggering" and that the network spanned "the entire planet". The chat was used to arrange cash payments using the ancient hawala transfer system, which allows funds to be sent globally without electronic records or physical transport of cash.
Hawala transfers are often used for legitimate purposes, such as immigrant workers sending money home, but can also be exploited by criminals to evade the Swift system used for international money transfers. The Traders of Greater Europe group was reserved for transactions over €5,000, and while not all participants were involved in handling criminal funds, the system's misuse was evident. The WhatsApp messages were obtained following a 2024 court case in Belgium that convicted six money launderers, revealing the extensive operations of this underground network.