Rob Horgan
EXCLUSIVE By Rob Horgan and Laurence Dollimore
A DAWN eviction has forced the Weekend World out of its international headquarters.
Police lent support to Estepona Court in its eviction order on the head office of Stan Israel’s raft of companies and magazines.
It comes after the maverick publisher failed to pay rent or bills for a staggering 18 months.
In total, he owed his landlord €23,000, when the police arrived to demand the keys and force Israel and his staff onto the streets.
The Spanish landlord told the Olive Press he had not received any rent since Simply Media Group, Sunsearch Media and, most recently, Press Prefer Publishing, started using the Atenea Commercial Centre, in Estepona, in March 2015.
The businessman, who asked to remain anonymous, was forced to file for eviction after only receiving an initial €3,000 payment.
“It was a great relief to kick him out,” he said. “I don’t expect to get any money either.”
He added: “Stan knows what he is doing. He gets away with it as he knows the court system in Spain is so slow he can stay anywhere for at least a year without paying.”
Meanwhile, his lawyer Marta de la Torre told the Olive Press that she could find no assets of Israel’s in Spain.
Incredibly, the publisher has already found a new office, in Centro Diana, just 500 metres from the old office.
While he continues to print glossy magazines in ‘dozens of countries around the world’, his main newspaper Weekend World failed to come out for nine consecutive weekends this summer.
As reported last month, he is being sued by a string of printers for over €30,000, and the government’s official BOE bulletin announced both his companies had gone into liquidation owing €40,800.
Meanwhile, a new luxury magazine Luxury Living has appeared, allegedly closely linked to Sotogrande SA and a raft of estate agents, while Etihad airlines and Rolls Royce are supposed clients.
While Stan writes the welcome note, the magazine is produced by Press Prefer, a company owned by his girlfriend Lisa Brown.
Meanwhile, Malaga Court has ordered Simply Media Group to pay former head of sales Lola Gomez €23,000 for unlawful dismissal.
However, as the Simply Media has filed for insolvency, Gomez will receive her money through FOGASA, or the Wage Guarantee Fund, linked to the Employment Ministry.
It means the Spanish government is effectively now involved and will be closely following Stan’s future progress.
It comes as a massive victory for Gomez, who has spent nearly two years in search of justice since her contract was abruptly terminated in November 2014.
“I just hope the whole of the coast and Gibraltar knows the kind of entrepreneur Israel is.
“He lies to his customers about distribution and issue numbers, doesn’t pay his bills and mistreats his workers,” she told the Olive Press.
“For me it is a great relief that justice has been served.”
The Olive Press has been investigating Israel since he moved to Andalucia, via Tenerife and a raft of bankrupt companies in the UK, two years ago. See more online. Do you know a conman? Want us to investigate? Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es
Stan Israel is a semi-literate parasite. His chickens will come home to roost as potential advertisers and suppliers will be aware of the way he does business.