Marbella’s former mayor has pleaded guilty over tax fraud relating to the sale and development of a property previously owned by Sir Sean Connery and his wife.
Julián Muñoz is already doing seven years after having been convicted of running a scheme to grant building permits in return for bribes.
He appeared in court in Malaga on Monday along with 17 others.
The alleged crimes being investigated include money laundering, tax evasion and town planning breaches.
The case revolves around the sale of Casa Malibu, a villa in Puerto Banus which Sir Sean and his wife Micheline Roquebrune bought after their 1975 wedding and then sold in 1999 for a reported £5.5 million.
A developer built a four-storey building composed of 72 holiday flats on the site despite planning regulations limiting the number of five apartments. It is estimated to have sold for £45 million.
Roquebrune, 84, has been ordered to stand trial separately over an alleged multi-million pound tax fraud related to the villa’s sale and could face a sentence of 2.5 years and a £16 million fine if it is found that she was part of a complex arrangement to defraud the country of nearly £5.5 million.
Prosecutors allege that she collaborated with lawyers and businessmen charged in the case to formalise “fictitious legal transactions” to hide profits from the sale of the property from the taxman.
She has submitted a sworn affidavit denying wrongdoing and insisting she had nothing to do with a tax fraud.
Sir Sean, 85, was told in 2014 that he would not face trial.
Comments
It also tells us of moral fibre of the Iberians. Entirely different to northern Europe. All over the European Union nobody should be able to build a 72 flat development on land suitable for 5 - and be noticed by no-one. Correction - obviously many knew it was being built but that was proof enough to keep their noses out of it.
Question - Why is there is no hot line to call in Lisbon or Madrid to urge that an inspection is carried out by someone sent from there? Answer : Because of the special powers of the bandit barons ! Nothing has changed and nothing will change.