James BryceA TOTAL of 40 million euros, 50 cars, 38 horses and 1,800 properties have so far been embargoed in an ongoing fraud enquiry in Estepona.
Some 99 people have also been implicated in the Astapa case, which has been investigating corruption within Estepona Town Hall.
The Judge Jesus Torres has finally lifted reporting restrictions and issued a case summary of his findings in the run up to a trial, expected to begin early next year.
In total, more than 100 companies, mainly hotels, banks and developers, have been involved in the investigation that began in 2008.
It has emerged that the town hall received millions in illicit payments and more than 20 million euros went ‘missing’ from official valuations.
The tax authorities are now continuing to investigate more than 120 companies and individuals and the police are scrutinizing 160 boxes of files and 100 hard disks of information.
Have a funny feeling that this will never come to anything. All the accused will become personalities like the x mayor of Marbella. They will then make money by doing the rounds of certain TV channels.
Any idea where this stuff gets auctioned?
auctioned ? Funny thought ! The booty has long been divided up ……
Amazing what wild money can do in very little time, I passed through Estepona for the first time in +- 1985, a lazy, quaint little fishing village on the Mediterranean Sea, with seemingly (what do I know) happy and content people living there ….. wouldn’t recognize it today, probably couldn’t find the beach …… and the people don’t really have that content aura around them anymore.
Isn’t this what they call Devolution ?
Its certainly not Evolution !