Staff Reporter
AT least three British expats are under investigation into the €50 million fraud case following police raids across Mallorca.
The British landlord of a crew flat in Santa Catalina, which was raided by armed Spanish and German officers last Wednesday, has been questioned in relation to the fraud.
Others under investigation include two Britons with a business in Puerto Portals that may have been used almost exclusively to launder large amounts of money.
The simultaneous raids in Mallorca and various other European cities, primarily in Germany, were led by the Prosecutor’s Office in Palma in a joint operation with German police.
British yachtie Dandelion Sharp, described the terrifying raid by police at the crew house in Palma when her door was kicked down by police with assault rifles and pistols.
“There were about 20 of them, some in uniform armed with rifles and others in plain clothes with hand guns,” described deckhand Sharp, 21, from Somerset.
“I was really scared and had no idea what was happening and whether they intended to harm me. It was like waking up in a movie.”
The exact nature of the scam has not yet been revealed, but it is understood that the international network deceived customers with products online that did not exist.
The frontman of the fraud on the island is another foreign citizen, whose nationality has not yet been divulged, who was allegedly paid 1,000 euros per month to act as the CEO of a large international investment company. But it’s reported he was unaware of any fraudulent activity.
The man lives in the Gomila district of Palma, one of the properties raided.
During the search investigators found only €200 euros and the man’s passport which had expired three years ago. He reportedly didn’t use email and had no bank cards.
Police sources indicate that he is an alcoholic and was used by the fraudsters who had power of attorney. Various companies in Ireland were opened and closed using his name, but he claimed not to know about them.
In February 2020, Germany requested the man’s extradition.
A year ago, Europol agents, accompanied by the Guardia Civil, went to his home in Gomila and verified that his photo on investment websites had been manipulated.
German police also established that there was a close relationship between this individual and the former Policia Nacional officer whose house in Palma was raided and was under investigation.
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