Huge corruption trial begins on Spain’s Costa del Sol

27/09/10 15:08 CET

world news

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Marbella has long been known as the capital of Spain’s “Costa del Crime”.

But justice may have caught up with former Mayors Julian Munoz and Marisol Yague.

They are among 100 high-profile officials whose corruption trial has begun today.

During his decade as Marbella’s uban planner, Juan Antonio Roca is alleged to have accumulated a 245 million euro fortune in kickbacks.

Isabel Pantoja, one of Spain’s most popular singers, is being investigated separately on charges of money laundering.

Police uncovered the alleged corruption ring in early 2006.

The city council was disbanded by the government and a caretaker authority appointed in its place.

The profits of the alleged corruption are breathtaking.

They are said to include country estates and luxury villas with priceless artworks in the bathroom and tigers roaming the gardens.

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