Mallorca Lujo Casa fugitive held in Barcelona

Nine months after he failed to attend a court hearing in Palma, Mallorca, Carlos García Roldán has been arrested at a home in Barcelona. García Roldán, known as Charly, is the alleged leader in the Lujo Casa property fraud case. Officers from the Guardia Civil's Balearic Islands Command travelled to Barcelona after tracing him on Thursday.

The arrest followed a search, arrest and detention order issued by the Provincial Court of the Balearic Islands in December.

Sentence and missed hearing

The court's Second Section sentenced García Roldán in December to fourteen years and nine months in prison for aggravated fraud, membership of a criminal group, punishable insolvency and money laundering.

He was due in court in Palma the following day, when judges were to consider whether his release conditions should change before the conviction became final. He did not attend, saying he was outside Mallorca and could not find a flight to the island's capital.

It was the second time he had fled during the case. While the Guardia Civil investigation was under way, he went to Colombia and was later extradited so proceedings could continue.

Projects never built

Two of García Roldán's business partners were also convicted in the Lujo Casa trial. The case involved property developments that were never carried out and affected more than two hundred and thirty people.

Topics: Court cases · Police · Politics · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com