Fraudsters pocketed over €600,000 meant for animal charities during two years on Spain’s Costa Blanca

NATIONAL POLICE have arrested the administrators of a charity in Paterna (Valencia) for allegedly defrauding contributors out of over €600,000.

During the last two years, agents estimate that only 10-15% of the €700,000 collected went to care for sick animals, with the remainder used to maintain a high standard of living for the administrators.

An investigation began in January 2018 after a post on social media asking for donations to help care for injured and dying animals was reported to police.

Fiscal and tax queries into the administrator and his two collaborators revealed that amounts declared did not correspond to the high standard of living they maintained.

Raids of the trio’s homes saw computers seized and resulted in arrests for fraud.