The Requested Abbreviated Procedure
The Prosecutor’s Office dedicated to the fight against corruption has requested the judge responsible for the investigating court number 4 in Valencia to initiate an abbreviated procedure, as a prior step to the oral trial. This request affects Francis Puig, who is the brother of the former president of the Generalitat Valenciana, Ximo Puig, and his partner, Juan Enrique Adell Bover, a businessman in the audiovisual sector. They have been involved in a case that investigates the public aid that their production companies received between 2015 and 2018.
Nature of the Allegations
The Prosecutor’s Office sees indications that Francis Puig could be involved in alleged crimes of falsification of commercial documents and fraud related to the subsidies that his companies would have received. On the other hand, Juan Enrique Adell Bover is only charged with falsifying documents. However, the prosecution suggests that, due to the cross-billing observed between the two, responsibility could be shared, suggesting that both could have collaborated in the execution of the alleged crimes.
Case Background
A scandal of possible fraud in subsidies was reported by the Popular Party in 2018, with allegations that led in 2019 to legal actions regarding the aid received from the governments of Valencia, Catalonia and Aragon. Among the production companies involved are Comunicaciones de los Puertos and Mas Mut Producciones, under the management of Francis Puig, as well as Canal Maestrazgo, Kriol and Nova CB, directed by partner Adell Bover.
Crimes and Attributed Events
The Prosecutor’s Office has determined that the facts constitute a continuing crime of falsification of a commercial document, in combination with a crime of aggravated fraud, estimating that Mas Mut SL clandestinely obtained 110,691 euros between 2015 and 2018. In the case of Canal Maestrazgo, it is also noted to the possibility that the company committed falsification in a commercial document.
Defense of Legality by Francis Puig
Despite the complaints and investigations carried out by the Prosecutor’s Office, Francis Puig has maintained a defensive posture, reaffirming the legality of the subsidies received. On the other hand, prosecutor Adoración Cano highlights the relevance of cross-billing between the companies of both defendants, which opens the possibility that responsibility for the crimes is shared.
Conclusions and Research Results
The document issued by the Prosecutor’s Office highlights that, although there may be other individuals involved in the creation of the questioned billing or the criminal liability of the legal entity, the investigation cannot continue. It refers to a resolution of the third section of the Provincial Court of Valencia that concluded the investigation stage of the case. Regarding the crimes of falsehood and fraud, it mentions that Mas Mut SL could be considered a shell company, questioning the legitimacy of the subsidies received. It was also stated that much of the billing presented to justify the subsidies could be false, suggesting that the company was created solely for the purpose of receiving these aid. Furthermore, it establishes a clear
economic damage
for the administrations involved, inviting the Legal Services of the Generalitat Valenciana and the legal services of the Generalitat of Catalonia to act accordingly to recover the diverted resources.