On trial for alleged trade-fair fraud in Palma

The prosecution has called for a three-year sentence. The money that was taken in and not returned amounted to around 50,000 euros. In addition, a debt is owed to the company which operates the Palacio de Congresos, Meliá Hotels International.

In April 2019, he signed a contract with the Palacio for what was due to have been the second Mallorca Real Estate Fair. This was to be held on September 27 to 29. Two years earlier he had organised a similar event at Palma Arena (now the Velòdrom Illes Balears) that had gone ahead without a problem.

Through his company, Organizacion de Ferias y Eventos S.L., he charged a dozen or so leading companies for exhibition spaces. These companies, in turn, contracted others to provide the stands. In all, the prosecution says that twenty companies were defrauded.

The Prosecutor's Office claims that he knew that he did not have the necessary number of exhibitors and had not raised the money he needed to pay for the fair. Even though he knew in advance that he was going to have to cancel the event, he continued to charge other potential exhibitors.

The day before the fair, he had not yet paid even half of the 43,000 euros of rent owed to the Palacio. It was the Palacio management who called the fair off and notified the exhibitors.

The accused has two previous convictions for fraud on the mainland and which were related to similar fairs.