The Court of Lleida has tried a man accused of appropriating 454,000 euros from two companies in the agricultural sector of the capital of Segrià that he managed. The man has admitted the events, which occurred between 2013 and 2019, and has declared that he appropriated the money to pay debts derived from his gambling addiction. When the victims realized, the accused signed a document acknowledging the debt and another offering his personal property as guarantee of payment. The prosecution has reduced its request for imprisonment from 6 to 1 year, while the private prosecution maintains its demand of 6 years and the defense requests acquittal.
The defendant acknowledged having made several transactions between 2013 and 2019 to divert funds to his personal account, deeply regretting his actions. He immediately admitted the facts to the victims once they were discovered and mentioned that his gambling addiction prevented him from returning the money. The defense presented documentation at the beginning of the trial proving that the man is receiving professional care to overcome his addiction.
In October 2019, the defendant signed an acknowledgment of debt, committing to return the money within one month. Unable to meet that deadline, in April 2020, he established a mortgage in favor of the affected companies, backed by personal assets valued at 468,000 euros.
Despite this, no payment was made, and the victims decided not to execute the debt against the man’s properties and opted for criminal proceedings. A representative of one of the affected companies testified at trial, stating that he considered the defendant a trustworthy person after thirty years of working together. The businessman explained that the defendant duplicated company payments, such as salaries, to appropriate the funds.
Finally, the prosecution, which originally requested 6 years in prison for a continuing crime of misappropriation, reduced its request to 1 year, considering mitigating factors such as early recognition of the facts and efforts to repair the damage. They also maintain the request for the return of the money, a fine of 4,000 euros and disqualification from exercising any administrative or business management profession.
On the other hand, the private prosecution maintains its request for 6 years in prison, arguing a serious violation of trust and the lack of efforts to return the funds. The defense, on the other hand, suggests that the matter be resolved by civil means, requesting acquittal or, failing that, a sentence of six months in prison and a fine of 300 euros, considering the mitigating circumstances and the accused’s gambling addiction. .
