Thousands of young people from all over Europe attend this weekend in Badalona to the convention that the company IM Mastery Academy, investigated for fraud against minors for promoting investments in cryptocurrencies, celebrates in that city, an event that both the city council and neighborhood associations ask to be canceled.
The company, which is related to a pyramid scheme and recruitment methods similar to a sect, gathers some 9,000 people at the Municipal Sports Palace of Badalona since Friday, despite the controversy that the celebration of the event has caused.
It so happens that last March the Economic Crime Unit of the National Police arrested eight leaders of this organization in Spain accused of defrauding thousands of young people with virtual courses on cryptocurrencies and high-risk financial transactions.
The City Hall of Badalona A few days ago, he showed his outright rejection of holding this congress in the town and asked Club Joventut Badalona (la Penya) to cancel the rental of the Palacio de Deportes to its organizers.
The Club Joventut Badalonafor its part, argued that it could not cancel the event, since “it was limited to renting the venue under the conditions agreed with the promoter.”
The young people who participate in the event, who have had to pay 200 euros to be able to attend, they assure that they go voluntarily and deny that it is a sectarian organization.
Neighbors’ protests
“No one has asked me to stop seeing anyone or to have to separate from my parents, on the contrary, I have improved my relationship with many people, but it is true that this is not quick and easy and requires time and effort. effort of dedication“, one of the young participants has declared to TV-3.
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The neighbors of Badalona They have also been against this congress and have demanded its cancellation. “Apart from stopping this event, we ask that an investigation be opened to clarify which company is dedicated to having these contacts to bring them here to Badalona”, Rubén García, from the Federation of Neighborhood Associations of Badalona.
According to testimonies from parents collected by the anti-sect association, recruitment has led some young people to drop out of school and even run away from home after joining this group.