News February, 26th 2010 by Simon Schönbeck

'Indications' of crime against Isabel Pantoja

Judge Oscar Pérez has completed his instruction of the case where the diva could face money laundering charges

The judge has found ‘indications’ of a crime of money laundering in the case against the Spanish diva, Isabel Pantoja.
The judge in Instruction Court 5 in Marbella, Oscar Pérez, considers that her professional activity does not justify her economic capacity, and she had a relationship with a person implicated in illicit activities. That person was the ex Mayor of Marbella, and ex partner of the singer, Julián Muñoz.

Part of the investigations in the case relates to an apartment that Pantoja has in the Hotel Guadalpín, which was purchased via a company with a public escritura granted by the Aifos company in 2003, although the transaction did not appear in the constructor’s accounts until ‘years later’, and the payment for the property was not found.

The Judge also noted that in 2002 before meeting Julián Muñoz, Pantoja only paid 4,816 € into her bank, but in 2003 when the relationship started she paid in 293,497 €, an amount which the judge notes ‘contrasts’ with her tax return for the year. The judge noted also that on every day between April 7 and 22 in 2004, she paid in 3,000 €.

Judge Pérez also noted that the money being handled by Julián Muñoz and his family was ‘clearly superior’ to his declared income.

Also included in the judge’s instruction investigations which are now completed are Muñoz’s ex wife, Maite Zaldívar and 11 other people, linked to but being treated separately from the Malaya case.

It’s now up to the prosecutor to request that a case against money laundering be opened or the matter be archived.