Marbella rocked by corruption arrests

The resort town of Marbella was rocked this past week when police officers arrested 23 people, including the mayor and three councilors, in a multi-billion euro money laundering and conspiracy scheme involving the selling and purchasing of prime real estate along Spain´s famed Costa del Sol.

Authorities said that they confiscated more than €2.4 billion in cash, art objects, jewelry, properties and other goods allegedly purchased by the defendants with profits they made through influence peddling.

After holding separate hearings, investigative Judge Miguel Angel Torres ordered the immediate incarceration of Marbella Mayor Marisol Yagüe (being led to court in top photo), councilor Victoriano Rodríguez and urban planning aide Juan Antonio Roca. They will be held without bail until their trial. Hearings for other defendants will continue next week.



Authorities claim that Roca (on left with Yagüe), a shadowy figure in Spain´s southcoast, was the "brain" behind the conspiracy. Living lavishly in different homes across the country, Roca allegedly ran 120 ghost companies through a Madrid law office that sold and purchase property. He also decided who received building permit authorizations in this resort town of 250,000, investigators said. Police had him under surveillance for years, videotaping his business dealings and social affairs.

Yagüe, who was elected to office in 2004 promising to clean up corruption left over from the previous government, was arrested at her villa on Wednesday as she was recovering from plastic surgery. Her deputy mayor, Isabel García Marcos (left, in photo below with Yagüe, in middle holding staff), was arrested at a local airport when she arrived from a honeymoon trip to Russia.


In all, the 23 face charges of conspiracy, influence peddling, money laundering and receiving kickbacks and bribes.

Marbella has long been a magnet for the rich, attracted by sun and fun as well as intrigue. Royality and dubious characters have always mixed well here. But the people of Marbella appear to be growing tired of their town´s reputation as a font for illegal activities. Following the arrests, thousands of residents marched in the streets demanding an end to corruption.