Interpol arrests Spanish business owner Alejandro Hamlyn for involvement in corruption scandals

The Spanish High Court has been looking for Hamlyn for a year, since he failed to appear at a trial in which he was charged in connection with this alleged corruption case.

Hamlyn is implicated in a hydrocarbon-trafficking scheme and his name also appears in the audio recordings of former politician Leire Díez, who is currently under investigation. Hamlyn is suspected of an offence of disclosure of secrets, breach of privacy and active bribery.

His court appearance as a person under investigation was set for 24 June 2025 for "allegedly having bribed or paid financial inducements" to Muñoz de Morales to obtain information on various individuals. As many as 42 victims have been identified. However, Hamlyn did not attend, claiming that he was unable to leave the United Arab Emirates due to a debt of 7,000 euros.

In an interview with SUR from Dubai, Hamlyn confessed to being "afraid" due to the "threats" he claimed both he and the eldest of his five children were receiving. He is also afraid he would be thrown in prison the moment he sets foot in Madrid for crimes, he claims, he hasn't committed.

"You can't commit fraud these days. They know in real time what I'm selling. Where is all that money they say I've taken? How could I not be afraid with what they've got in store for me! I don't want any trouble. That's a mafia. I come from the international scene and there are no taxes there," he said.

Hamlyn only broke down when he mentioned the children. "They're suffering," he said.

The grandson of well-known shipowner José María López Tapia, Hamlyn followed in his grandfather's footsteps and entered the oil shipping business. Thanks to his grandfather's contacts, Hamlyn worked for Venezuelan state-owned oil company (PDVSA).

During that time, he specialised in the oil trading business and met his current partner. Together they have three children, although Álex has a total of six children from various relationships, two of whom are twins. He first founded Elcano Energía in 2012.

A few years ago, López Tapia's grandson left his hometown of Getxo and settled with his family in Madrid, where he set up the Hafesa network and its associated front companies. He owns villas, luxury cars and yachts as part of his extravagant lifestyle.

The anti-corruption prosecutor's Office is seeking a prison sentence of almost 60 years, as it considers him the "mastermind" of the "petrol mafia". Both he and his business partner, José Norberto Uzal, who served alongside head of the Spanish opposition Feijóo in the Galician regional government, face charges relating to 14 offences, including tax fraud, aggravated criminal organisation (in the form of leadership, promotion and coordination) and money-laundering, for leaving a deficit of 154 million euros.

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