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137 Spanish Civil Guards accused of fraud

Xinhua, November 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

Prosecutors here on Thursday accused 137 members of the Civil Guard of fraud with regards to expenses claims, the Spanish Interior Ministry informed.

The investigation covers the period between January 2011 and November 2014 and among the 137 who are facing charges are 20 officers, including a lieutenant colonel, a commander, and four captains.

The accused come from several regions of Spain and are accused of presenting false bills, stating they had stayed in a guesthouse (the Hostal Las Vegas) when on visits to the Spanish capital, when in fact they had been staying in military barracks.

The owner of the Hostal Las Vegas has also been arrested for his part in the scheme.

This practice is thought to have continued over three years with a total of 14,000 euros (14,800 U.S. dollars) defrauded. Although the majority of those accused only presented a handful of receipts, one had done so on 40 occasions, defrauding a total of 1,489 euros.

The Civil Guard is the law enforcement agency in Spain, they are organized on military lines, but carry out police duties and are under the control of both the Spanish Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Defense. Endit