Alberto Lejarraga
SPANISH sports journalist Guillermo Valades, also known as Willy, allegedly asked for donations from his workmates to treat a made up terminal cancer.
The 55-year-old is believed to have told his closest colleagues that he was suffering from a terminal cancer that could only be cured with a costly therapy.
Valades told them he could not afford the treatment and reportedly begged for help.
His workmates, including the well-known sports journalist and commentator Paco Gonzalez, joined forces and put together hundreds of thousands of euros for Valades’ therapy.
Valades then told his donors he had started a treatment at Navarra’s University Clinic that cost over €10,000 a month.
But when some of them called the clinic to ask for an update on the treatment, they were told by the health centre that Valades was not their patient.
After hearing the shocking news, a number of his co-workers confronted Valades, who allegedly responded by making threats against them.
It is believed the alleged scammer has not returned to work since last week, but he has been spotted at his parents’ house in Madrid.
“I am with my parents, I am not going to say anything,” he said to a Spanish media reporter.
