Spain says businessman from China crime boss
By Li Qian |
October 24, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SPANISH authorities have arrested prominent Chinese businessman Gao Ping, who has been accused of being the kingpin of a massive Chinese-Spanish money-laundering ring involving 1.2 billion euros (US$1.57 million).
The 40-year-old Gao is a high-flying member of Spain's large Chinese immigrant community.
Gao is accused of smuggling goods, trafficking drugs and firearms, and organizing prostitution during the past four years, said top Spanish anti-corruption prosecutor Antonio Salinas.
Salinas said the network laundered up to 300,000 euros a year for the last four years, dodging taxes, bribing officials and forging documents.
A total of 83 suspects were rounded up in Spain last week as part of "Operation Emperor" - 58 are Chinese, most from Gao's native Qingtian County in Zhejiang, including his two sons, aged 13 and 17, officials said. Seventeen are Spanish, including a city council member and a porn movie star.
"It is a criminal organization led by Chinese people who laundered money," Salinas said.
Two-year investigation
In one case, the group smuggled Chinese goods to Spain, bribed local officials to dodge taxes and sold the low-priced products in Chinese-run stores, Spanish prosecutors said. Then they sent bundles of cash back to China in containers or laundered money in tax havens with the help of Spanish and Israeli intermediaries, they said.
The investigation was begun two years ago and Spanish police focused on an industrial zone in Fuenlabrada in the Madrid Metropolis Area that houses a sea of wholesale distributors.
The operation was centered mainly in Madrid and Barcelona. Authorities seized 200 vehicles, along with 10 million euros in cash, and froze 120 bank accounts.
"Gao still refuses to make a confession," one of his friends told Chongqing Morning Post. Several other Chinese businessmen have been released by Spanish authorities on bail, he added.
Gao went to Spain when he was 18 years old. He worked as a chef and business agent before establishing his trading company.
The high-profile businessman now owns hundreds of chain stores in Spain, two shopping malls in Spain and Italy, and an art gallery in Beijing.
Gao was elected to accompany Spain's King Juan Carlos I in a trip to China in 2007.
The 40-year-old Gao is a high-flying member of Spain's large Chinese immigrant community.
Gao is accused of smuggling goods, trafficking drugs and firearms, and organizing prostitution during the past four years, said top Spanish anti-corruption prosecutor Antonio Salinas.
Salinas said the network laundered up to 300,000 euros a year for the last four years, dodging taxes, bribing officials and forging documents.
A total of 83 suspects were rounded up in Spain last week as part of "Operation Emperor" - 58 are Chinese, most from Gao's native Qingtian County in Zhejiang, including his two sons, aged 13 and 17, officials said. Seventeen are Spanish, including a city council member and a porn movie star.
"It is a criminal organization led by Chinese people who laundered money," Salinas said.
Two-year investigation
In one case, the group smuggled Chinese goods to Spain, bribed local officials to dodge taxes and sold the low-priced products in Chinese-run stores, Spanish prosecutors said. Then they sent bundles of cash back to China in containers or laundered money in tax havens with the help of Spanish and Israeli intermediaries, they said.
The investigation was begun two years ago and Spanish police focused on an industrial zone in Fuenlabrada in the Madrid Metropolis Area that houses a sea of wholesale distributors.
The operation was centered mainly in Madrid and Barcelona. Authorities seized 200 vehicles, along with 10 million euros in cash, and froze 120 bank accounts.
"Gao still refuses to make a confession," one of his friends told Chongqing Morning Post. Several other Chinese businessmen have been released by Spanish authorities on bail, he added.
Gao went to Spain when he was 18 years old. He worked as a chef and business agent before establishing his trading company.
The high-profile businessman now owns hundreds of chain stores in Spain, two shopping malls in Spain and Italy, and an art gallery in Beijing.
Gao was elected to accompany Spain's King Juan Carlos I in a trip to China in 2007.
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