CASTELLÓN, 31 Jan. (EUROPA PRESS) – –
The head of the Court of Instruction number 1 of Castellón has issued an order to initiate an abbreviated procedure against seven investigated for the plot of false invoices and diversion of public money registered in the Government Sub-delegation in this province between 2007 and 2017, according to informed the Superior Court of Justice of the Valencian Community.
The magistrate thus closes the investigation that began in 2017 and concludes that the possible commission of a continued crime of prevarication in medial bankruptcy with continued crimes of embezzlement of public funds and falsification of commercial documents emerges from the procedures carried out.
The order provides for the transfer of the proceedings to the Public Prosecutor’s Office and to the accusations so that within ten days they request the opening of an oral trial, formulating an indictment, request the dismissal of the case or, exceptionally, the practice of complementary proceedings.
Among the seven investigated who have been prosecuted -the proceedings were provisionally archived a few days ago for another 26 people, as well as definitively due to death for another- there are two former officials of the Sub-delegation -one who was authorized and the person in charge of the economic management-, as well as five businessmen who run a workshop, a stationery store, a cabinetmaker’s shop and a bookstore.
The judge maintains, according to the investigation carried out, that the two former officials, “by mutual agreement and in collusion with other people” allegedly devised “a plot to divert public funds from the Subdelegation”.
To do this, they used “the preparation of false invoices for services not provided” to this administration “or for an amount different from that actually provided,” he adds.
According to the order, the corresponding Government sub-delegate, “unrelated to the plot and under the belief of the reality of these benefits and services” signed directly or by a delegated person the conformity with the invoices presented for collection and ordered the payments charged to the Subdelegation.
The instructor describes different operational mechanics in the alleged commission of fraud, such as the improper use of a refueling card associated with the official vehicle of the Subdelegation by the person who was authorized, with which he refueled four cars for his use particular.
It also alludes to agreements between officials and different business providers so that they invoice the Subdelegation without actually having provided any service or delivered any merchandise to the institution and share the money obtained with them.
Likewise, it mentions the preparation of false invoices in the name of non-existent companies or companies that did exist but whose managers were totally unaware of the issuance of these invoices, since they did not comply with any provision.
Finally, the judicial resolution refers to the acquisition of products for their private use by officials in different businesses such as drugstores, hardware stores or a copy shop, as well as repairs in two private homes of the authorized person or their private vehicles charged to the coffers of the Subdelegation.
A police report incorporated into the case estimates the financial damage caused to the Administration by all these actions at 984,113 euros. The order, which has already been notified to the parties, is not firm and can be appealed for reform and/or appeal.