The trial began with a plea deal in which 17 defendants admitted to the charges. Lawyer Francisco Comitre accepted a sentence of four years and seven months in prison, while notary Enrique Peña also confessed to his role in the criminal network based in Barcelona.
The group targeted vulnerable homeowners by offering loans that were actually disguised sales. In the Bages region, victims in Manresa and Súria lost properties valued at thousands of euros, which were then quickly transferred to shell companies to prevent recovery.
The victims thought they were signing a loan, but in reality, they were selling their apartments.
While the fraudulent sales have been annulled, legal proceedings continue to determine compensation. One of the involved parties, Albert Segarra, is currently serving a life sentence in Thailand for a separate murder and had previous political ties in Manresa back in 2007.
