Finally: the trial of John Palmer’s timeshare mafia

The Spanish newspapers report today on the beginning of the legal proceedings, in which the law firm SCHOMERUS represents almost 20% of all victims.

The macro-trial is record-breaking not only because of the size of the court records, but also because the police and judicial investigations have lasted full NEUNZEHN YEARS; it began with investigations and arrests in 2000, then initiated by the well-known Spanish investigating judge Balthazar Garzan.

John Palmer, the “gold finger” of Tenerife, has since died, but a dozen of his closest confidants are now in the dock. The public prosecutor’s office is demanding up to 10 years in prison each, and the victims hope to finally be able to recover a large part of their funds.

The trial is likely to drag on for a few weeks. Negotiations are taking place in Madrid, before Spain’s highest investigative court, the Audiencia Nacional, which has heard all of Spain’s major political or financial scandals.