The Guardia Civil has arrested a man and a woman in the municipality of Rojales after they allegedly defrauded an 81-year-old man of 86,000 euro. The suspects, who had moved into the victim’s home under the guise of being his carers, are accused of systematically draining his life savings and even holding him against his will.
The investigation began when a concerned neighbour contacted the authorities. The neighbour reported that the elderly man had managed to flee his home while his captors were asleep. He claimed that the couple had confiscated his house keys to prevent him from leaving or visiting his bank.
According to the Guardia Civil, the deception began in May 2024. The woman met the victim at a hospital and offered to care for him after discovering he had no close family or friends. Shortly after, the woman and her 40-year-old partner moved into the man’s property in Rojales. After a few weeks of gaining his trust, they began targeting his assets, accessing his personal passwords and banking details.
The couple allegedly convinced the victim to modify his will in their favour. They also organised a trip to Colombia, where they persuaded him to invest in a fictitious property. Detectives discovered that over 85,200 euro had been transferred to various third-party accounts in Colombia. This money was reportedly used to purchase luxury items, including two motorcycles for the woman’s son.
By the time the Guardia Civil intervened, the victim was left with just 270 euro in his bank accounts. The man and woman have been charged with fraud and illegal detention and have been placed at the disposal of the duty court.
