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A FORMER Hells Angels leader is facing 13 years on firearms and money laundering charges. German Frank Hanebuth is being tried alongside 48 of his international pals. The leader of the Hanover branch of the notorious bikers gang moved to Mallorca to set up its first chapter. Some 34 of the alleged Hells Angels collaborators cut deals with the prosecutor this week. They accepted jail terms between six months and 12 years after admitting to their offences. However, they can escape serving any actual prison time by paying fines instead. Hanebuth refused, insisting that the charges against him were based on illegal wiretaps, but this was overruled.
Deals
He faces a 13-year prison sentence for allegedly belonging to a criminal organisation, money laundering, and possessing illegal weapons. He must also stump up a €4.2 million fine for the money laundering charge, if guilty. Vice-president of the chapter, Khalil Youssafi, reached an extraordinary deal with the prosecutor meaning he avoids a prison sentence of 38-years by paying a fine of €36,720. Another defendant who took a plea deal was Brit Paul Witworth, who prosecutors say maintained links with the Adams family, the notorious London gang. The gang are accused of illegal activities across Mallorca from 2009 to 2013 under Hanebuth’s leadership.
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Vol. 6 Issue 148 www.theolivepress.es January 27th - February 9th 2023
PAGE 12
HARD TO STOMACH
Brits who ‘scammed’ hotels with hundreds of fake legal food poisoning claims to finally face trial
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CAUGHT downfall of The rise and Cursach Mallorca’s Tolo
September 14th livepress.es 11 www.theo
A GANG of British expats are to go on trial for defrauding dozens of hotels and travel companies in a fake sickness scam totalling ‘up to €40 million’. The Mallorca group are accused of fraud and racketeering over the creation of hundreds of bogus sick notes between 2016 and 2017. Palma Court Judge Maria Perez claims the ‘organised gang’ of eight persuaded holidaymakers to report food poisoning incidents during their holidays in order to get compensation from hotels and tour operators later. The fraud is estimated to have cost the Mallorca hotel sector an estimated €40 million in 2016 alone. Four homes and two businesses in Portals Nous, San Agustin and Bendinat were raided in September 2017 after a four-month investigation. It came after Alcudia hotel bosses filed complaints with police claiming they were being wrongly blamed for incidents that never happened. The alleged ring-leaders are Laura Holmes Cameron - previously reported as Laura Joyce, her married name - and her brother Marc Cameron. The Camerons are accused of paying a team of expats €50 a day to pad the streets enlisting people for the scam. They also hired a team of club promoters to double up as middle-men under their company Elite Project
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SOME 40 employees from Emaya water company spent six hours cleaning up 30 tonnes of waste after residents in Palma celebrated Sant Sebastia.
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DESPITE the introduction of the TIL in 2013, only 12% of schools in Mallorca teach two subjects in English.
Checking in MOROCCO has named Nezha Attahar as its new consul in Mallorca, replacing Hanane Saadi who is moving to the Morrocan Embassy in Madrid.
ACCUSED: Court heard
Continues on Page
2
the an agent investigating corruption scandal. in It is one of two key trialsare the Cursach case which next set to take place over the two weeks.
hearing The other involves a citizen against a Romanian a half SEE MORE IN who faces four and threatenTHE RESTAURANT years for allegedly ing a key witness. SECTION INSIDE The Romanian purportto edly threw the witness and kicking him also the ground, Club promoters were mid- threatening him. hired to double up as He supposedly committed so that the witdle-men. in the crime One has now testifiedover ness wouldn’t give evidence another Romanian, court, saying that he against charged been period also had month who an eight cli- with intimidating the same brought in around 40 witness. ents per week.
allegAve de Gabriel Roca 4, A BRITISH expat Palma of edly employed a team ticket touts - or ‘ticketeof ros’ - to snare hundreds fake sickness claimants.acLaura Joyce, 28, is group cused of paying the enlist €50 euros a day to which scam, the names for helped cost the Mallorca an hotel sector more thanlast estimated €40 million year. Linger heard Palma court has were how young expats hohired to linger outside of tels informing guests of financial possibilities faking stomach problems. have Joyce is believed to operation directed the saw on the island, which false 800 the of 60% some sickness claims be handed
how Laura coordinated
last over to UK law firms year. of Following the lifting
touts
case the secrecy over the Brits by Palma court, two Craig - Ryan Bridge and been Kennerly - have named as alleged leaders of the scam in the UK. to The men are believed claims the have managed were on Mallorca that brought in by Joyce. The suspects coordinated via a the alleged scam called Whatsapp group, UK Holiday Claims Ltd.
who Ringleader Joyce - villived in a €3 million Jamie la near footballer Redknapp in Bendinatsex previously ran a sleazyalso tours company, it can be revealed. She owned the infamous bebar Playhouse, which an when came famous English tourist performed for a men 24 on act sex a cocktail. Deborah mother Her had Cameron, 59, has her all charges against dropped. Laura now helps husband in Stuart run a sports Bar closPortals Nous after last ing The Project bar year.
HIGHLIFE: Mother Deborah Cameron and her daughter Laura are well-known on the island, while (right) how we reported it
ONGOING: Cursach
BLOWING UP: Cocaine
arrests in Spain
than seized in Spain has more THE amount of cocaine doubled in just one year. 32 tonnes of cocaine in 2017, up Spanish authorities seized 15 tonnes from 2016. 40% of all cocaine captured in EuThis is an incredible revealed. rope, the interior ministry of Spanish police, drug runners Due to the high workloadnew routes through Belgium and have been forced to find narcotics into Europe. the Netherlands to bring
sun and snow
family · friends · apreski
· night skiing · snowpark
winter season
2017-2018
· competition
case
Drugs and fraudulent money
has A RECKLESS driverpolice been arrested after and found a brick of hash counterfeit money during Mila routine stop in Cala offilor. A Guardia Civil he cer was on patrol when spotted a vehicle driving suspiciously. stop During the routine kithe officer found a 1.5 in the logram brick of hash trunk, and a counterfei man’ €500 note in the
of work with charities,” said one. The others being prosecuted Not areto bePesniffed at Body found ter Murphy, Ryan Bridge, Susan Lyle, Simon Flanagan, Tegan Sumerlee, intensely They all BURGLAR BRAZEN and Nicola Sanderson. deny wrong-doing. Bridge is said to be ‘one of the people tasked in England with processing the false claims’ working with a series of shady Manchester-based law firms.
possession. ar The 48-year-old wasdru rested as an alleged trafficker and for possess ing counterfeit money.
POLICE are investigati bo the appearance of a decomposing in a garage Capdepera. w The unidentified body discovered by a plumber a narrow gap between w empty pipes while he doing maintenance work en the of theft. Police sealed off been last year for crimes Palarea while investigating A BURGLAR has ye po- Police were patrolling have by they man while red-handed the scene caught to ma when they saw proceed identify the body. lice as he was trying cover his face and m One theory is that he break into a Palma jewel- to manipulate the jewellery be a German man who glasses. They lery store case. been lock with bent the regular appeared last August. The 37-year-old has 30 swiftly arrested arrested more than in offender. times, 17 of which were
Trail
Charges against four people have been dropped because they have not been questioned or cannot be located. Lawyers acting for the alleged ring-leaders and their associates failed to get their charges dismissed and a trial is expected to be held at some point this year. Private prosecutors acting for the affected hotels will also be allowed to submit claims failing a last minute appeal by the suspects. Reports back in 2017 at the time of the arrests suggested that over €9 million was defrauded from three hotel chains, with Mac Hotels hit with €4 million of sickness claims alone.
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members of the
arrested over a fire in Magaluf. Mallorca police, including “The judge confiscated facing a commissioner, are their their passports and imposed a civil liability ten years in prison for Curbond of €30,000 involvement in the Tolo to be paid mutually. sach case. “If they pay the money of comthey will have They are also accused passports returnedtheirmitting homophobia against to
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tours company and owned the infamous bar Playhouse, which gained infamy when an English tourist was filmed performing a sex act on 24 men for a cocktail. She closed the bar after being fined heavily when a video of the incident went viral. Cameron’s mother, Deborah - who hired a leading lawyer famous for securing the acquittal of King Felipe’s sister Cristina over alleged tax evasion - was also arrested, but charges were dropped the following year. The glamorous mother and daughter were well-known on the island, leading a luxurious and high-profile lifestyle. At the time of their arrests many expats insisted they were ‘not guilty’ telling the Olive Press of their ‘shock’ at the accusations. “Debbie is very religious and does a lot
15
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the ‘worst examples driving ever seen’. driver, Labeled the ‘Kamikaze’ man drove the 21-year-old Alaró
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AT THE SPANISH
A BRITISH travel g in Palma Airport ahead of organisation has spoken the peak holiday out to warn holidaymake rs season after reporting a surge in scams targeting tourists at Palma valuables have been swiped Germany Swindles recordedAirport. by an spoke to the Olive ma Airport Info by the Pal- ready accomplice who was al- Press. isation include (PAI) organ- side. through on the other “It is disgusting here at security and queue stallers Meanwhile, and the the free WiFi scam counters are totally infested,” sel ‘bumpers’. baggage carou- sees the airport worker, open networks The group drew who become attention to available to travellers passing to remain anonymous, asked ten different scams said. through “Not only will the tion at the airport. in opera- When the airport. its staff but it’s airport lose these networks only going to Some, such as the ‘broken taxi used, tourists reported were get worse as it gets busier meter’ or the ‘pickpocket’ having and more here their passwords people will and be familiar to holidaymake rs information stolen. personal pets start arriving. and their ARRESTED: Brandon across the world. 14th 2018 Airport employees “The airport needs McCahill 1st February and -(right) Others, such February gone public this have also thing now or else to do someJay Brown as the ‘queue it’s going to staller’ or the their complaints week with be a horrible summer.” about an in- AENA, relatively new. Free WiFi are festation the public body of fleas, mosquitoes The ‘queue staller’ managand ing Palma one deliberately sees some- port. cockroaches in the air- ive Press Airport, told the Olthat they had taken lers from collectingstall travel- Some steps FOUR Brits accused ables at the other their valu- ed thatemployees even report- tions to secure WiFi connecof until they starting a fire at in the airport. cough up security scanner end of the medicalthey required ‘constant A spokesperso €30,000 between lorca hotel havea Mal- brother by fumbling attention’ them. n also told us been with their own released 18-year-old deal with the bites in order to that a specialist on bail after ap- A court official said after inflicted. down the The driver’s By the time items. their closed hearing: company pearing One employee working hired tokilometres accident. in court. five in the “The deal with infestations for died dihead passes through an individual of the car times on A of judge, one other the wrong four Palma Court inhighway who in the airport deciphered in the the body x-ray hasthe driver - 20 counters dealing con- of people to collect A DRUNK Incathe The twofiscated and Number Untitled-1.pdf their passports, with transporting their fleas were actually that - is in Son baggage, injuriesInvestigation 16/06/2017 limit their legal expats pets 15:36 ruledserious as a duty court that they are banned 12, acting mosover1 the from the island quitoes and that ofUK rection. police to suffered orderedhosto the after one thewere Espases from leaving they to Son and currently phoned the island of the the release on bail rushed Espases hospital SENIOR four people of reckless Witnesses being dealt with. still recovhad a head- were
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Brits have been warned about conmen increasingly operatin
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alaga popularwas one of the most ers last regions for foreign last year revealed.year, new figures buyMore 2008’s was the highest have crash. Brits tered inthan 460,000 est percentage number still make tionals Spain last year,sales were since 15%, accounting ber one with foreignregis- put with Brexit of the foreignup the largThe total investment, off investors. seemingly market and Alicante number for 13% of purchases. na- Malaga doing little at It comes of properties rounding and the The numbers to erties area for was the fourth as figures off the topCanaries bought revealed saw sales revealed three. by lowing foreign buyers most popular Benahavis the Balearic Marbella,Panorama compared shoot up in the are officially EsteponaProp- pre-2007 to by 11.15% Islands country, fol- ‘most mature’ the as the markets the hottest and a result levels byyear before, in 2017 num- from the longest-running exceeding and in Spain. 10.4%. in Marbella of Figures InternationalSpain’s booming And now, showed estate as the three agent the country’s Monetary Fund market, the economic has raised towns in 2018 to 2.08% gest economic - giving growth forecast growth Spain the stronin the Eurozone.
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ss claim bosses’ in sickne
ain,” he said. heated scenes her family last There were to return to Moon of the outside the LordLeave and Rethe papers’.” from Thursday. ed ‘rich mum’ Mall pub when traded insults Self-profess A young hairdresser originally from a middle-aged main supporters Cambridge andEdinburgh are Cameron,and Joyce were deMiddleton before Remainer on a woman from alleged to have London, the situation by during the raid By Joe Duggan Mann defused the Leave supamong those s for tained property in Bendinat. and Ben Reus of hugging one of luxury been paid commission large quantities ‘victims’. porters. en- Meanwhile were seized at a providing bogus expat commuall about kind-s said to have MALLORCA’S round Debbie “Remaining is Portals The pair are togethernes ers and documents sports bar in nity has rallieddaughter Laura ness, unity and listed the holidaymak of solving probinformation popular by Laura's husband Cameron and and the spirit arrests filed over theirwho made the Nous, run Londoner following their Joyce. lawyers Joyce lems together,” Stuart UK agency ion to said: “I'm pretcreative compensat last week. Mann, 51, a the Olive Press. Another friend it. Laura was fraudulent spoken of their Friends have Brits Cameron, manager told anything by booty shocked by me and always claims. friend of Cameron’s ‘shock’ after 28, were held “It didn’t solveI gestured at him always nice to staff. Another would she her so with beau 59, and Joyce, €60 million ing at him said ‘I can’t believe t in it or looked after island and even and (right) and have a hug. and Laura over an allegedscam involving to come over “It's a small Things shocked,” have any involvemen on’. to get anyEXPATS: Debbie as an expat. am massively “Debbie is know what was going sickness-claim We are not going sev- smaller can really make or famous “I people, friend. Riutort, fighting.” seven one this tourists. UK where eight months lawyer Jaume the acquittal of said religious and does a lot of Altogether, Brits, were arrest- like a small community.” the Mall, Boris on Joyce, who is Further up in court for securing eral of them Drew GalFe- very on four break Civil spokespers Cristina, King tax work with charities.Laura who ed in last week’s raids pregnant, appeared Johnson lookalikecrowds with in A Guardia that an investigato alleged ‘claims Princess and two businesses alongside fourweek, after the lipe’s sister, over alleged dron entertained “I have spoken e, holdfraudume for my sup- homes Nous, San Agustin and confirmed the allegedly farmers’ last a live music performanc has thanked Portals 15:36 Joyce allowed tion into began at the end of villa was evasion. puppet. said: ‘don’t believe to the family family’s Bendinat ing a Theresa May events like lent claims read1 in 16/06/2017 Bendinat, with But people close surprise over port and Untitled-1.p hotel bosses have df raided. “Since anti-Brexit May after Alcudiawith the poeverything you denied the have expressed vigil started I Cameron, who released the last week’s arrests. the Number 10 a few of them filed denuncias leaked police claims and washas hired top have been at quite lampooning lice. Last month, that Mac following day, performing songs documents revealed been hit Boris,” he said. Hotels had allegedly sickness claims, with €4m of Claims some 800 altogether.UK tour made against are then deduct C DE MALLORCA operators, wholegal fees from olive press and paymentsrope M Spanish hotels.rty
News IN BRIEF
C/.Fabrica, 5 Bajos, Santa Catalina, Palma (+34) 971 592 535
‘lady accused of being around family
‘NOT GUILTY!’
Marketing. A bonus payment - based on the cash received from the fake claims - would later be paid to the expats, known as OPCs or ‘Outside People Catchers’ in the timeshare industry. The Palma court heard at a previous hearing how the OPCs were hired to linger outside hotels informing guests of big cash payouts for of faking stomach problems. One testified in 2018 that over an eight-month period he brought in around 40 clients per week from all-inclusive resorts.
included
971 706 972 ain.com taylorwimpeysp
27th 2017
I so there was nothing through Airbnba whole week’s money.” - one he needs three could do - I lost really unfair as the law to the new law, He added: “It'sand it's clear they are afhe per unit. and the first thing came in so fastwho have money. “He turned upmy licence number,” he ter the expats there are loads of local asked for was the Olive Press. I live told had only “Where who didn't get touched. last “I told him I Spanish I know got caught one for three “Another expat whereas his six neighbut rentals and I was via Airbnb €30,000 week who also rent via Airbnb, fined bours, get caught.” per unit. didn't booked “He had
n EXCLUSIVE Mallorca businessma paid a By Jon Clarke A LEADING Press how he inspecvia Airbhas told the Olive eek property this month after €30,000 fine unannounced at one of €3,000-a-w of four from nb - to a family tors turned up properties. By Joe Duggan his rural rental has asked not to be Madrid in August.as he ter in Westmins penalty He was caught The expat, who a 50% reduced period’ only has one licence named, paid discount 50,000 antifor three adjacent within the ‘two-week AN estimated have protestbeing fined €60,000. according after originally was visited by an in- units and, Brexit supportersof London. he his streets He revealed expecting to rent ed on the for Europe spector after The People’s March Lane to Parliawent from Park where the mixed ment Square speeches from crowd heard Democrat and Labour, Liberal Conservative politicians. sent a message Sir Bob Geldofwith ex-Liberal of support, minister Sir Democrat cabinetthe crowd he Ed Davey tellingent’ at the curfelt ‘embarrassm s. rent Brexit negotiation anger to dis“I've gone fromto despair. But tress, from fury negotiations since the Brexit a third emotion begun there's barrassI've been feeling...Em leaders. ment at our country's for Great BritEmbarrassment
By Alex Trelinski
Laura Cameron is believed to have directed the operation on the island, which saw some 60% of the 800 false sickness claims handed over to UK companies in 2017. Judge Perez admitted this week that the final defrauded sum has yet to be calculated by prosecutors. But she insisted the amount netted by the gang was ‘significantly above €200,000’. In a damning statement, the judge insisted most of those claiming serious illness from food poisoning never asked for medical assistance. In one case at Club Mac Alcudia only 38 out of 800 guests issuing claims had sought a doctor. As the Olive Press revealed at the time of her arrest, Cameron lived in a stunning €3 million villa near footballer Jamie RedHome delivery knapp’s former Servicio a domicilio house in Bendinat. Set Meal We reported that she previously 19.95€ ran a sleazy sex drink
- September
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