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Typically Spanish - Spain News : National

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
One of the companies used by the gang - Photo National Police /EFE
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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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Readers' comments:
Pedro
27 May 2006, 20:16
Spain is without a doubt a place of many talents, especially those of unlawful, fraudulent and criminal nature. The issue is really complex and despite the fact that most if not all of those involved in this scam are not Spanish, the fact that they choose to operate in Spain corroborates my opinion.
The police are ill equipped, the judiciary is not well funded, it takes years to sue a crook, etc, etc. this in itself is good news for all the scum around the world, but Spanish crooks are probably better informed. Did you know that they don’t have a register of disqualified directors and that the process of disqualification doesn’t exist? Did you know that a crook can set up as many companies as he/she likes all over the country, and bankrupt each of them in steps? The companies registry is a complete joke.
No wonder we hear about Afinsa stories … and time sharing scams … they don’t give a dam. Probably doing the siesta …
Franco taught them how to be corrupt and they love it. The economic model doesn’t work since 2000. It consisted of internal consumption. The deficit is gigantic. Spain produces food stuffs and light machinery, mostly in sweat shops all over the country. Big deal!
Roberto
28 May 2006, 14:29
Pedro does have a jaundiced view of Spain. Is he implying that other countries, such as the UK, don't suffer from fraudulent scams, cheats, corruption, mis-selling, serial bankrupts etc. If so I suggest he should move to one of those.
Karen Imber
30 May 2006, 02:42
I have been trying to investigate a company - Technopeninsular SL. I have experienced problems obtaining incorporation documents from the Mercantile Registry. The company was formed in March 2004 but this company has never filed accounts. The owner, a Samuel Imber who resided in a large villa in Moraira Alicante and who owned another villa has recently and hastily left Spain to live in England. I feel there may be money laundering operations within this company which I need to prove. This man had 15 company directorships in the UK all of which he dissolved, milking them dry and transferring funds and disposing of property. Can you suggest where I can obtain help with this?
Pedro
31 May 2006, 20:33
Karen: Spanish police are ill equipped, the judiciary operates under many 19th century premises and the backlog is appauling. As I said, crooks can do all they want in Spain. The mercantile registry is a complete joke. Then top all of the shortcomings with the well known Spanish arrogance and justified sense of inferiority and you get a dinossaur of a public service. Give me the sun and the cheap houses. Everything else - no thanks!
Pedro
01 Jun 2006, 00:57
Decent countries have decent means of policing, prosecuting and much more importantly, to PREVENT. Spain is and has been a lovely example of laisser faire which is fully exploited by your mayors, of which Marbella is, so far, only the first to come to public light.
In adition, the Spanish people do not understand how democracy works. The political discourses made by the Spanish poliy would make a Brit laugh to dead. The Spanish have exactly what they DESERVE. Nothnig less, nothing more! Keep it for yourselfes! And leave Gibraltar for the Gibraltarians. 99% of them want nothing to do with this banana republic!
Pedro2
12 Apr 2007, 13:56
We knew Leon Oelefse through a club we were in here intened for Southern Africans, and it was sad that he came here after the new government took over in South Africa soon making it almost impossible for whites to get work as the law was soon changed greatly favouring blacks (not even Indians or those of mixed races) for employment. Even an honiurs degree was useless if you are white in most cases. While not for one moment condoning the fraud, many white South Africans feel cheated that they are no longer able to find work there and the country is going to the dogs with the serious crime. The rich are getting richer and the poor very much poorer.

As I imgaine that his passport (South African) must have been taken away if he was bailed, how did he (and the others) get another one as the South African Embassy staff must have been aware of the arrests? The police must ask this question
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