It has been announced that the Audiencia Nacional, or Spain’s National Court in Madrid is to hear the case against the business associates of the late John “Goldfinger” Palmer. This case has taken many years to get to this stage, but at last we may be seeing a conclusion to what has been called one of the largest frauds in Spanish timeshare history.
The trial which begins today, Monday 21 January 2019, will see the following defendants appear. Richard Cashman, who is attributed to be Palmer’s lieutenant, Keith Peter Davies, head of the organisation on Gran Canaria, Dean Lawrence Wells, the promoter of the operation, Darren John Morris, Paul John Murry, Christina Ketley, Ramonón Solano Pérez, Jorge Maximiliano Gallart, Neil Campbell and Jacoba Klazina.
The case revolves around the selling of timeshare properties between 1993 and when the organisation was dismantled in 2002 by the then Judge of the Audiencia Nacional Baltasar Garzón.
In the scam which saw hundreds of unsuspecting holiday makers losing many thousands of pounds each, was based on the overselling of timeshare properties with the promise of resales for a profit. It also morphed into a non-existent holiday club set up by the organisation.
At the time of his death at his Essex home in June 2015, Palmer was on bail from the Spanish Courts, even though he had served time in the UK for similar offences.
The Prosecutor’s Office is calling for prison sentences of 8 to 12 years, plus fines of over 2 million euros as a result of its provisional findings. These are for crimes ranging from illicit association, conspiracy, fraud and in some cases illegal possession of firearms.
Although this case has taken many years, it would appear at last that justice may be done, this is may help close a very sad chapter in the lives of the victims, whether they will ever get any of their money back is unlikely.
The Audiencia Nacional is a special and exceptional high court, its jurisdiction covers all Spanish territory, as well as international crimes which come under the jurisdiction of Spanish courts. It consists of:
- Criminal Chamber
- Appeals Chamber
- Administrative Chamber
- Social Chamber
This case is being heard in the Criminal Chamber which is competent to try serious crimes such as: terrorism, money laundering, genocide, plus many more. It also makes decisions about extradition demands from foreign countries and the execution of European Arrest warrants. They may also hear appeals against rulings from the Juzgados Centrales de lo Penal, (Central Criminal Courts. Decisions by any of these divisions may be appealed to the Supreme Court.
Links to the announcement in the Spanish press.
https://www.laopinion.es/sociedad/2019/01/20/juzgan-red-mafioso-john-palmer/946217.html
Past articles on John Palmer, the second link includes a recording of the Roger Cook investigation.
http://insidetimeshare.com/timeshare-dirty-word-many/
It may be some time before any news comes in about this case, but Inside Timeshare will be publishing the result when it is made public.
The post Start the Week: Associates of John “Goldfinger” Palmer Now in Court appeared first on Inside Timeshare.