Police in Spain have dismantled an organized group that, for months, ran a complex real estate scam. At the center of the fraud was a 38-year-old man already known to authorities for similar crimes. He meticulously planned every step to avoid detection and personally oversaw key aspects of the operations.
The group selected attractive properties on popular platforms, studied their features and owners through registry extracts, then forged identification documents to pose as legitimate property owners. Using these documents, they visited notary offices to issue fake powers of attorney to third parties—often with the involvement of a lawyer from Girona, who was among those arrested.
Once they had a power of attorney, the fraudsters reached out to private investors and financial firms that offered loans secured by real estate. They convinced them of an urgent need for funds, putting up apartments and houses they did not actually own as collateral. The loan amounts ranged from €100,000 to €300,000, and the terms seemed appealing: if the borrower defaulted, the investor could acquire the property at below-market value.
Crime locations and details of the arrests
The investigation revealed that the fraudsters targeted around 30-40 properties across the country, spanning from Vigo to Las Palmas and Castelldefels. Ultimately, authorities proved 13 counts of forged powers of attorney and 7 completed cases of embezzlement totaling over 1.2 million euros. Several dozen additional attempts were unsuccessful.
The primary victims were credit institutions and investors, left without both money and collateral. Apartment owners whose personal information was used by the scammers, in most cases, were completely unaware of what was happening. Only a few discovered the problem when they tried to take out a new loan against their property.
Operation and consequences
Simultaneous arrests took place in several cities: Estepa (Seville), as well as Rubí and Manresa. During the raids, police discovered fake passports and identification, weapons, and small amounts of drugs. Among the 22 detainees—17 men and 5 women aged between 30 and 40—most already had criminal records. They are charged with fraud, money laundering, document forgery, identity theft, and participation in a criminal organization.
The investigation found no evidence that notaries were involved in the crimes. Investigators believe the high workload at notary offices allowed the fraudsters to act unnoticed. Thanks to the quick response of the police, new incidents were prevented and property owners were protected from further losses.
