Crime

The high spending by alleged property swindlers

Michele Pilato, in the white shirt, and Carlos García Roldán, in the centre, in a hotel in Magalluf. | Redacción Sucesos

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma10/09/2019 04:01

Investigations into what has been described as Majorca's biggest property swindle have included the spending of those who are under investigation.

Carlos García Roldán, "Charly", who is alleged to have been the chief architect of the swindle, is currently in prison in Colombia. He had fled there in April last year, four months before the case blew up, and was arrested in February this year. Among his spending was a total of over 700,000 euros in the Casino; it has been calculated that he went to the Casino 227 times.

His business partner, Michele Pilato, spent 14,000 euros on two Rolex watches at Relojería Alemana on the Passeig Born in Palma. This was in September 2016. He had gone to the same shop the month before and bought a Bulgari ring. On that occasion the purchase was in his own name. The two watches were seemingly bought by Promociones Lujo Casa Balears, a real estate company at the heart of the investigation.

The shop's manager was interviewed by the Guardia Civil's criminal police. She told them that Michele Pilato had explained to her that one of the watches was a present for his wife and that the other was a gift from the company for a man.

A third person under investigation, builder José Antonio Mir, also frequented the Casino. He went there on 126 occasions.

The swindle involved the sale of fictitious properties. Some 200 people were affected.