Beatriz G. Paesa confirms the meeting with Juan Cotino in Luxembourg
Beatriz García Paesa, a relative of the well-known spy involved in the ‘Roldán case’, has confirmed that Juan Cotino personally gave her 600,000 euros in cash while he was general director of the Police with the Popular Party Government of José María Aznar. García Paesa has appeared as a witness from Luxembourg, via videoconference, to recount the corporate structure that was established in the Grand Duchy for the Cotino family. Although she only met Juan Cotino on one occasion, when he gave her the funds that were used to provide social capital to one of the companies, the businessman Vicente Cotino, nephew of the then director general of the Police, was in charge of the arrangements. usual.
The ease of carrying out transactions in Luxembourg
According to Beatriz García Paesa, the banks did not ask more questions than necessary, since they knew the identity of the client and that the money left Spain legally. The lawyer has pointed out that since then there have been significant changes in the legislation. Beatriz García Paesa is a specialist in domiciliation of offshore companies and in tax law. Despite being accused in the ‘Defex case’ in the National Court, she collaborated with the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and emerged unscathed from the ‘Erial case’.
Vicente Cotino’s role in Luxembourg societies
The businessman Vicente Cotino served as sole administrator and attorney-in-fact of the Luxembourg companies. Accompanied by Sedesa’s financial director, José Vicente Álvarez, Cotino went to Luxembourg once or twice a year to carry out procedures related to the funds. According to Beatriz García Paesa, the delivery of the funds was almost a gift for them.
Change of shareholders and transfer of funds
Beatriz García Paesa has reported that in 2005 or 2006 she was informed that there was a change of shareholders. The two companies became the property of Joaquín Barceló ‘Pachano’, Eduardo Zaplana’s confessed front man, and Juan Francisco García, Zaplana’s chief of staff. The witness has detailed that Vicente Cotino informed her about this change of companies, one for Joaquín Barceló and another for Juan Francisco García.
Companies in Luxembourg and the bites due to the awarding of ITVs
With the companies established in Luxembourg, the Cotinos used the funds obtained from the award of one of the ITV lots to carry out bribes. In a second phase of the plot, these funds passed into the hands of Joaquín Barceló and Juan Francisco García. In Spain, Francisco Grau, Zaplana’s tax advisor and also accused in the case, was in charge of the arrangements. Beatriz García Paesa has stated that Grau was her contact in Spain.
The entry on the scene of Fernando Belhot and the transfer of funds
With the appearance of the Uruguayan lawyer Fernando Belhot, a confessed money launderer, the funds were transferred from Luxembourg to destinations such as Andorra or Panama in a second phase of the alleged corrupt plot.
The importance of trust in the work of Beatriz García Paesa
Beatriz García Paesa has highlighted that client trust is fundamental in her work. In Luxembourg, they have the power to domiciliate financial companies, which implies that the client trusts them to carry out these transactions.
Confirmation of the accusation against Zaplana
Beatriz García Paesa’s statement reinforces the accusation against Eduardo Zaplana. During the investigation phase of the ‘Erial case’, the Luxembourg rogatory commission confirmed that Juan Cotino deposited in the Grand Duchy the more than 600,000 euros that were used to create the two companies. Both businessman Vicente Cotino and Juan Francisco García, Zaplana’s former chief of staff, have stated that it was Juan Cotino who proposed the bribe for the awarding of the ITV lot to Sedesa. For his part, Joaquín Barceló has confessed that he acted as Zaplana’s front man. Uruguayan lawyer Fernando Belhot has also provided details about the corrupt plot.