The individual spoke and behaved appropriately. He had such talk, composure and people skills that practically out of nowhere he managed to get close to the businesswoman Esther Koplowitz's closest circle. In fact, it was she and more specifically her son-in-law, Fernando Ortíz Bahamonde, who raised the alarm.
It all started when Koplowitz's son-in-law contacted Jordi Clos, owner of the Derby hotel group, and president of the Barcelona Hotels and Tourism Guild in March 2022. An entire institution. Ortíz contacted him to explain that they had met her nephew and that he had offered to deposit a million euros in the foundation chaired by Ester Koplowitz.
Clos's reaction was instantaneous, denying that he had any nephew who was doing business in his name. The alleged relative had expressed his willingness to make that generous contribution that never materialized, but which had allowed him to get closer to the family and even attend several parties held at the businesswoman's home.
Suspicions began when the man introduced a project he was leading into the conversations and offered the possibility of investing in the business. After confirming with Jordi Clos himself that the man was not who he said he was, Fernando Ortíz telephoned him and forbade him to approach any member of his family.
From that moment on, the hotelier began to receive messages from people, some known and others not, who claimed to have crossed paths with his alleged nephew. The vast majority knew how to contact the hotelier as a precaution and the scam remained an attempt. But others fell into the networks of the alleged scammer.
In April 2022, Jordi Clos accompanied by his lawyer, Joaquín Sugrañes, appeared at the Mossos d'Esquadra police station in Sarrià Sant Gervasi and reported the individual for the crimes of fraud and another against intellectual property in the form of usurpation of distinctive signs of the brand. And that's because the defendant allegedly used the Derby brand to deceive his victims. For example, to an interior designer from Madrid.
The Catalan police began to work based on the complaint and took statements from several victims. The report was presented in a court in Barcelona, although they immediately saw that both the suspect and the victims were in Madrid. From that moment on, a joint team was created between the investigation unit of the Mossos de Sarrià and the central organized crime brigade of the National Police.
Two weeks ago, the head of court 53 of the Plaza de Castilla courts took over the investigation, after his colleague from Barcelona recused himself. After coordinating with the investigators, they agreed to arrest the suspect last Wednesday, at his home on Moratalaz Avenue.
During the search of the home, almost 5,000 euros were seized, in addition to computer devices to analyze and documentation related to the alleged scam in which he was involved. The suspect is charged with four crimes of fraud, some attempted, and another against intellectual property. On Thursday he was brought to justice and the next day he was released with charges.
In a telephone conversation with this newspaper, the man said he did not know what he was accused of but denied having committed any crime. Jordi Clos, for his part, declined to make any kind of statements on the matter.
