Large timeshare scam broken up on the Costa del Sol

Large timeshare scam broken up on the Costa del Sol
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By h.b. - May 26, 2006 - 6:01 PM

One of the companies used by the gang - Photo National Police /EFE

Police think that as many as 15,000 people could have been affected by the gang.

Eight people have been arrested in connection with a large-scale time share fraud which is alleged to have affected more than 15,000 people and which resulted in profits of 18 million €.

It’s known that the arrested come from Britain, South Africa, Belgium and Norway, and that they concentrated their efforts on the British and central European public.

The arrests were made in Fuengirola, Mijas and Coín.

The names we have so far are 58 year old South African Willenm Marthinus Prinsloo, who is said to be the brains of the whole operation, 32 year old Briton, Malcolm David Kennedy who is thought to have looked after documentation, 51 year old Belgium, Johannes Vlemmings, Gunn Iren Klansen a 48 year old Norwegian married to the boss, 49 year old South African Leon Oelofse, and three more Britons named as 44 year old Willy Smieja, 53 year old Steven Stewart Ross, and 37 year old Rupert Quentin Marshall.
The gang worked from rented accommodation which they then abandoned moving on after a few months.

One of the 300 names used by the group was Planit Estates and police think that more than 1,000 people were implicated in the carrying out of the frauds.

They say that could be more than 90% of all the timeshare frauds carried out in the British timeshare market on the coast in recent years.

Police say the group moved to the Costa del Sol after working first on the Canary Islands. A 22 calibre pistol, computer and other documents have also been recovered as part of the case.

The Spanish consumers’ organisation FACUA has commented that there is a lack of control on timeshare in Spain.

(property story)

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