Trial for 20 million Euro Covid aid fraud in Barcelona

The Provincial Court will judge a criminal network accused of looting public funds through shell companies and forged documents.

Generic image of a judge's gavel and official documents on a wooden table.
IA

Generic image of a judge's gavel and official documents on a wooden table.

The Barcelona Provincial Court will soon host the trial against a criminal organization accused of defrauding over 20 million euros in loans guaranteed by the ICO and ICF during the pandemic.

The Barcelona Provincial Prosecutor's Office claims the group exploited the March 2020 health emergency to create a network of shell companies. Using firms like Tiger Global SLU, the network simulated financial solvency to access funds intended to support businesses during the crisis.
According to the investigation by Barcelona's Court of Instruction number 26, the defendants submitted forged Tax Agency certificates. This allowed them to bypass risk controls at major banks including BBVA, Santander, and CaixaBank.
Prosecutors identify Jordi Ribadulla as the alleged mastermind, seeking a 14-year and six-month prison sentence. The case also involves Fernando José Mouriño as a technical manager and several straw men who acted as company administrators.