Imogen CalderwoodTHE Mayor of Marbella’s attempt to have a well-known lawyer struck off by the Malaga Law Society has been thrown out.
Maria Angeles Munoz accused lawyer Antonio Flores, of Lawbird, of ‘professional misconduct’ after he spoke to the press regarding her alleged failure to properly declare assets abroad.
Munoz insisted that Flores was the main source in media reports concerning her alleged undeclared assets.
But the Law Society of Malaga has concluded that there were no irregularities in Flores’ behaviour, a serious setback for the mayor.
Following the decision, Flores maintains that Munoz and her Swedish husband Lars Broberg purchased a ‘tax evasion’ product from the Swiss Nordea Bank in 2010.
As well as investments in Luxembourg, Munoz and Broberg allegedly bought a 98% share in Crasel SL in 2003.
Crasel SL also owns the couple’s €4.7 million Benahavis mansion, according to Flores.
He claims that the €3.1 million equity release mortgage then taken out by the couple, via the jointly-owned Crasel SL, is set up to avoid the 34% inheritance tax.
Concerns were first raised about Munoz’s foreign dealings by a group established by Flores – the Equity Release Victims Association (ERVA) – made up of expats who have lost millions of euros through Nordea bank.
Flores’ explanation of the Nordea bank product is dedicated to international tax planning.
“The goal is to help people, in a way that is more or less legal, to have to pay less tax,” said Flores.
“In Spain, they offer a product that, according to what their advertising says, is to legally avoid inheritance tax.”
The town hall reported the lawyer to the Law Society, meaning the case would not go to court and would not ‘cause a stir’.
Flores insisted that the town hall had instead opted for ‘a dirty way to tarnish the image of a lawyer’.
Well done Flores. Spain needs more Lawyers like you.
Do we think this story is thrue? The bank bank is a Swedish-Finnish bank. Reporting everything to the Spannish tax people.
I think this law man is one of the happy go lucky one who think he could get his pocket lined on a false accusation.
This type of people so called lawyers are above god himself
in Spain.
If you really can read English kb, your next job is being able to comprehend it. Come back when you can.
here here stefanjo, there is no smoke without fire..!!..corruption festers among the high ranking..!!
well done Antonio Flores for challenging the corrupt
Dear kb,
A comment showing a different view and warmly welcomed.
Thank you.
Neil Wilson
A different view certainly Neil. Incomprehensible, but different.
Number of things I don’t understand here. Firstly, has the mayoress done anything illegal? Secondly, the only story seems to be that Flores has being cleared of wrongdoing. Thirdly, why was it the Town Hall who referred Flores to the Law Society rather than the Mayoress doing it – since when do Ayuntamiento’s get involved in personal tax matters of their employees? Lastly, why are there italics around the phrase ‘tax evasion’? I am sure that Nordea would have advertised it as ‘tax avoidance’.
What kb has to say is quite clear so well said kb and Neil Wilson. There is nothing wrong with having a different viewpoint, you just have to ignore the infantile, petty insults.
I can ignore a different view point but have trouble ignoring English people doing deliberate spelling mistakes.
Not the first time the Mayor has been involved in controversy. A bit of blurring the boundaries between Marbella and Benahavis. I shall leave some of her fans to google to find out who would gain from it.
Where did you go to learn gobbledygook refill?
KB,
Antonio Flores is no fly-by-night.
We have used the company’s services in the past and they are second-to-none.
Flores has been involved in quiet a few failed cases in recent years which have served one purpose, raise his own profile.
As a regular contributor and columnist in this paper, I´m sure he will get preferential coverage here.
That said, I´m not a fan of Munoz who is probably as corrupt as any mayor this town has had in the Past. Hopefully The Elections in May will bring her stranglehold on Marbella to an end
Tom