Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma30/04/2016 00:00
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The twelve accused in the case involving the Taganskaya Russian mafia in Majorca are to go on trial next week at Palma's High Court. They are charged with money laundering, membership of a criminal organisation, offences against workers, forgery and disclosure.

The anti-corruption prosecution has accused Alexander Romanov of creating the mechanisms whereby 12.3 million euros and 2.6 million dollars - with an appearance of legal origin - were brought into Spain. This was done with the assistance of his family, businesses controlled by Taganskaya and various lawyers and gestors. The prosecution service is calling for a sentence of 17 years imprisonment for Romanov plus a fine of 40.1 million euros and a total of 76 years and 165 million euros for the other accused.

The prosecution's case draws attention to thirteen operations that were potentially of a money-laundering nature. Fund management in Spain was of an "unusual and extravagant" character and was intentionally designed to shed confusion as to the origin of funds and their destination.

Movement of money was, the prosecution maintains, primarily for the purchase of real estate, such as the Hotel Mar i Pins in Paguera. Along with its annexe, its value in 2010 was 12.3 million euros, though the sale document shows 5.95 million.

The prosecution says that in his operations in Majorca and elsewhere, the organisation led by Romanov showed no respect for the law in activities related to the hotel and to the acquisition of other properties.

The trial is expected to last until 3 June.