Wendy WilliamsIN a shock revelation in the ongoing Malaya case a builder has confessed he paid Juan Antonio Roca three million euros for occupancy licences.
Fidel San Roman – who faces a nine year prison sentence and 48 million euro fine on charges of bribery and money laundering – ratified all of the payments, one by one, that the prosecutor argued he had made to Roca in exchange for occupancy licences on Marbella apartments.
He told the court that between February and December 2005 he paid the former town planning chief more than three million euros in seven payments of ‘white money’ taken out of the accounts of his various companies.
“When the homes were ready to be handed over to the buyers, the Town Hall told us that the money was needed, and if it wasn’t paid, things could not move forward,” explained the 72-year-old.
This directly contradicts Roca’s earlier claims that payments he received from Roman, as well as Aifos and Construcciones Salamanca, were not made for favours but for ‘advisory work’.
Roman however has now rejected this outright insisting his family business had never paid for advisors.
Moreover, the developer is claiming he was a victim of blackmail.
“Not paying would have been business suicide” he said, admitting he knew he was doing something bad, but that he did not have any other option.
The trial continues.
Who is surprised?
The guy paid white money with a paper trail … please explain why this is a crime… In Marbella you pay your way or you go away simples!!!
An eminent Marbella lawyer told me several years ago that a constructor/promoter client of his had to pay Roca 3,000 Euros in cash for each first occupancy license. He had built hundreds of properties. Hobson’s choice: take it or leave it. He paid.
This kind of thing goes on in virtually every large town in Spain.In Chiclana de la Frontera for example if the businessmen don’t financially support the PSOE party at election time AND promise their votes they are told they will NEVER receive another Council Contract guaranteeing that they go broke in 99% of cases. This I am told has been going on for the last 40 years or more and is the reason they have a stranglehold in the area,NOT that PP are any better!
From description above, it seems like he was blackmailed into making payments or wouldn’t get the needed Occupancy Licenses for apartments he had the License to build. IF he was intent on Bribing and Money Laundering, he would NOT use “white money” nor leave a paper trail. Such payments would not be an illegal act on his part, just as a shop owner who is blackmailed to pay “protection money” to criminals is not performing a criminal act of: bribery nor money laundering.
He should not be found Guilty… but this is Spain!