Laurence Dollimore
HIS name is not Rockefeller but the riches amassed by Juan Antonio Roca during his dodgy dealings in office tot up to a small fortune worthy of America’s super-rich family.
And now everything must go – the vast portfolio of palatial properties, the Mercedes cars, boats and thoroughbred horses, the prestige watches, the armoury of guns and even the Picasso.
Marbella’s discredited ex-town planning advisor, who has been languishing in jail for more than 10 years, has been forced to sell off his assets to pay his fines and civil liability responsibilities.
Roca was convicted of being the ringleader of the Malaya Plot, which saw 53 officials across dozens of Andalusian municipalities tried for embezzlement of public funds, breaches of trust, influence peddling and more.
So numerous are his possessions that a website has been set up to list and take bids on all the items. It most recently saw an offer on Roca’s ‘crown jewel’ – an 82-hectare agricultural estate named La Loma.
Valued at €27.5 million, the property includes a 10-bedroom mansion with nine bathrooms, three kitchens, a gym and a chapel. Now feast your eyes on the rest of his fortune.
Sevilla mansion – €2,000,000
First built for the family of the great Sevillan architect, Don Anibal Gonzalez, this stunning 1930s mansion lords it over the city’s swanky Avenida de la Palmera. With four bedrooms and three bathrooms spread over three floors, perks include a courtyard garden and a lookout tower … for keeping an eye out for police raids, perhaps…
Marbella pad – €1,500,000
Set in the exclusive gated community of Residential La Alzambra, five minutes stroll from glitzy Puerto Banus, this detached four-bedroom villa boasts a private pool and spacious gardens. Throw in seven bathrooms, 24-hour security and a garage to fit several Mercedes and what more could you want?
Dream duplex – €1,011,624
Roca’s second Marbella asset, a sprawling four-bed duplex, will appeal to the sporty sort. It’s just a couple of hundred metres from the beach and has access to two squash courts, saunas, a swimming pool and gym.
Bijou bolthole – €700,000
One always needs a third home for playing a round or two and this more modestly-priced duplex apartment in prestigious Golf Rio Real suits the purpose to a tee, with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, an outdoor pool and garage.
Mallorca villa – €2,350,000
Cala D’Or is where the elite stay on this holiday island and Roca was certainly keeping up with the Joneses with this restored palace. It comes complete with seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, two outdoor 30m2 pools and glorious sea views.
Ibiza party pad – €450,000
What portfolio is complete without a party pad in Ibiza?
This first-floor property near the revellers’ hotspot of Talamanca beach features three bedrooms, a kitchen, three bathrooms, two communal pools and north- and south-facing balconies for watching the sun rise and set.
Beretta pistol – €500
Part of an armoury Roca kept for hunting, shooting and, perhaps, protecting his worldly goods, this 9mm caliber Cougar pistol is a bargain at €500. Forged in the finest stainless steel, it’s a double-action semiautomatic with a rotary barrel locking system.
Picasso artwork – €8,000
Created by the great Spanish master in 1953, this ceramic pitcher even has a name: Femme du barbu (Bearded Woman). At this price it seems like a steal (and technically, it was).
Thoroughbred horses – from €5,000-€7,000 apiece
Even the horses are up for sale, such as this Spanish purebred, which could be yours for €7,000.
More than 10 horses are listed on the site, all of which have been registered with the National Association of Breeders of Purebred Spanish Horses.
Wine cellar – €280,000
If vino is your favourite tipple you’re going to love working your way through Roca’s superb vintage collection which includes noble names like Chateau Lafite, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Vega Sicilia and Petrus.
To view the contents of his mind-boggling bodega and many other miscellaneous assets – from horse carriages and vintage cars to commercial premises and plots of land (check they’re not on green belt first, if you’re buying) visit www.ventadebienesmalaya-roca.com
Wow! And this is just one of the many and varied crooks whose criminality keeps Spain in the doldrums. It has taken more than ten years to begin extracting these ill-gotten gains.
How long until the Treasury sees the benefit of all the other incredibly greedy rat-bags?