Local
Home of corrupt former Marbella planning boss is sold by a court despite him still living there
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Juan Antonio Roca has complained that he doesn't want to be the only one involved in the Marbella scandals to be stripped of his multi-million-euro assets
A luxury apartment, one of the homes of Marbella's jailed former town-planning boss has finally been sold by the court.
The 535-square-metre single-floor property is between Avenida Ricardo Soriano and the Paseo Marítimo. It was one of the many high-value assets frozen as now-released Juan Antonio Roca was sent to jail in the infamous corruption scandals that rocked the resort over ten years ago.
The eight-bedroom property was put on sale on a court-supervised website for 2.6 million euros but in the end has gone for 1.8 million. However the sale comes with a possible catch as, despite having been found guilty, sent to jail, and still owing tens of millions in defrauded money to Marbella town hall, Juan Antonio Roca and his family are still living inside the luxury property.
Previous interested buyers have been made aware that they could not take immediate possession because of the high-profile occupant, and would have to have signed a rental contract with the Rocas while he lived there. It's not known what the conditions of the final sale are.
Not the only one
In other developments in the aftermath of the sentences of Roca and the many officials, politicians and business people who embezzled funds from the town hall, it has emerged that Roca has complained to a court in Madrid. His lawyers told the court that heard the 'Saqueo II' part of the trials that it is not fair that he is being targeted for his assets (in this case alone he was ordered to pay back 37 million euros).
He told the court that it would do well to investigate more thoroughly assets of others culprits such as former mayor Julián Muñoz, as well as the heirs of former mayor, Jesús Gil.
