On social media platforms, the man called himself "Adrian" or "Dios," meaning "God” in Spanish. In 2024, accounts linked to the man posted job ads on Telegram. "Work as a photographer," one offered in Russian in a chat about opportunities in Poland. "To those interested in applying, send resume, phone number and passport," another advertised in a group for Cuban expatriates in Russia. "Looking for people with military experience in monitoring, intelligence, logistics and tactical maneuvers," one said in Spanish in a group for Latinos, promising $1,500 plus a bonus for each operation completed.
Dios lured multiple people into carrying out sabotage for Russia in at least four EU countries, an investigation by DW and three other European broadcasters has found. Most of the recruits came from Spanish-speaking countries.
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Recruiting vulnerable people
One of the people Dios recruited was Luis Alfonso Murillo Diosa, who was 34 years old at the time.
Originally from Caicedo, a rural town in western Colombia known for its mountainous landscapes and its crops, Murillo was raised in a family of coffee farmers. But several years of poor harvests pushed the business into debt, according to someone close to the family.
Murillo spent six years in the Colombian army. According to court documents, he left in 2015. He then hopped between jobs like many ex-soldiers, juggling barista courses, stints as a bodyguard and his family's coffee business.
In early 2024, Murillo decided to enlist in the Ukrainian army, where foreign fighters can earn a few thousand euros a month when deployed to the front line, court documents show.
Looking for information about the process, he joined a Facebook group for Latin Americans seeking to fight in Ukraine. That's when he was contacted by Dios.
"It's often vulnerable people who are being targeted,” said Daniela Richterova, an associate professor in Intelligence Studies at King's College London. "Vulnerable people who need money and are willing to travel for money and are willing to not ask many questions about the purpose of what they're carrying out."
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