Prosecutors suspect fortune plundered through elaborate scheme
A fortune without heirs, and a falsified Will, are the basis of an accusation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office against 10 people and three companies in Murtosa, Aveiro.
The group is suspected of having plundered a fortune valued at almost €3 million, “which should have reverted to the state”, explain reports.
No media outlet has yet identified the ‘wealthy Murtosa resident’ who “accumulated” land, various properties and a healthy bank account “throughout his life”.
When he died in 2018, his fortune however “was divided through a Will falsified by a Spanish citizen”, who has himself since died.
From the bizarre account in Correio da Manhã today, it looks as if the Spanish citizen came up with the plan ‘post-mortem’.
“Hearing of the death of the man who had an estate worth €2.8 million, one of the (now) defendants hatched a plan to appropriate the legacy. For this he counted on the help of the other defendants, his family members and people close to him”.
CM’s report, and that of SIC, do not explain how the ‘falsified Will’ came to the notice of authorities; why suspicions were raised (nor why it has taken all of seven years to come up with an accusation).
SIC does mention “one of the defendants (female) having had access to ‘a millionaire account’ and withdrawing its contents, into a bank account of her own, a day after the man’s death.
The now dead Spanish man, also seems to have been busy – drawing up deeds and registering properties in his name – after the death.
Whatever the story, just the bare bones read a little like a film script – and may well end with everyone involved being ordered to return their ‘inheritances’.
For now, accusations centre on abuse of confidence, appropriation of assets and qualified money laundering.
If the case is ‘successful’, whatever goods and money are left will be declared “lost to the state”, says SIC.
natasha.donn@portugalresident.com
