Crime
Marbella fake landlord sentenced to prison for defrauding people of thousands of euros through nonexistent lettings
The defendant collected deposits and reservation fees for properties he did not own and handed over useless keys to the victims, who discovered the fraud when they were unable to gain access to the properties
The provincial court of Malaga has sentenced a man to three years in prison for continuous fraud. According to the ruling, the defendant made "deception ... his way of life" by advertising properties for rent in Marbella via online portals such as Milanuncios and Idealista, knowing full well that he neither owned the properties nor had any legal authority over them to enter into tenancy agreements.
This activity took place over a number of months in 2019. The defendant acted with the clear intention of obtaining unlawful financial gain.
To attract potential buyers, he published advertisements for properties located within the municipality, such as the La Alzambra housing development or the area around La Cañada.
Once interested parties had made contact via digital platforms or by phone, the defendant would agree the terms of the tenancy, setting monthly rents and security deposits ranging from 600 to 1,300 euros.
According to the court, this fraudulent scheme affected both private individuals and estate agents who contacted the advertiser to arrange the tenancy on behalf of their clients.
The defendant had several accounts to receive transactions. He also accepted cash payments.
According to the ruling, in order to give the transactions the appearance of legitimacy, the defendant would arrange to meet the interested parties in public places in the province, such as the railway station, the Plaza Mayor shopping centre or the La Cañada shopping centre in Marbella.
At these face-to-face meetings, he gave his victims documents to sign, after which he handed over sets of keys that supposedly gave access to the properties.
The tenants became aware of the fraud when they couldn't access the property. In one of the reported cases, the property required a magnetic card rather than a conventional key. In another instance, the property was occupied by legitimate residents of foreign nationality.
The defendant's evasive answers
The victims tried to contact the defendant, who initially gave evasive answers and subsequently ceased all communication.
The defendant and his legal representatives' have accepted the final charges. In addition to the custodial sentence, the court has imposed a fine of 2,100 euros, as well as a disqualification from standing for election for the duration of the sentence.
The court has ordered the defendant to pay compensation to a total of six victims recognised in the case. The total amount of compensation amounts to 6,580 euros, a sum which corresponds exactly to what the victims had paid as a deposit.
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