Investigator claims link between trafficking group and Madeleine McCann disappearance

Private investigator Julian Peribañez, who worked for the McCann family's investigation fund between 2008 and 2010, claims to have identified a potential group involved in the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Following recent fieldwork in Portugal, Peribañez suspects a human trafficking group from Eastern Europe that was reportedly expelled from the Algarve shortly before May 2007.

Peribañez also raised concerns regarding photographs found on a child abuse website in 2023. He stated that a victim of sextortion discovered images of a young girl that matched Madeleine's description. According to a statement from his association, Guardianes de la Inocencia, facial recognition analysis indicated a “very high” probability that the child in the photos was Madeleine. The investigator has reportedly submitted a report to the Spanish National Police requesting verification of the child's identity, though authorities have not confirmed any link to the disappearance.