Acquittal for Spanish Singer Isabel Pantoja in Latest Trial
Isabel Pantoja, the renowned Spanish singer and previously convicted money launderer, has been acquitted in her most recent trial. The Malaga court ruled her not guilty in a case of ‘punishable insolvency’ related to the sale of her luxurious Marbella villa. The prosecutor had previously requested a three-year jail sentence for Pantoja.
Pantoja’s Previous Conviction in the Malaya Corruption Case
In 2014, Pantoja was sentenced to two years in prison and was ordered to pay a fine of €1.1 million for her involvement in the notorious Malaya corruption case in Marbella. Despite her legal troubles, the Sevilla-born singer is considered Spanish singing royalty and enjoys a massive fan base in the Spanish-speaking world.
Pantoja’s Personal Life and Career
Pantoja’s marriage to bullfighter Francisco Rivera Pérez ‘Paquirri’ in 1983 and his subsequent death in the bullring in 1984, solidified her place in the Spanish consciousness. Known as ‘Spain’s widow’ in the media, Pantoja has remained a popular subject for gossip columns and has consistently been in the public eye. Over the years, she has released more than a dozen albums and has extensively toured Spain and Latin America.
Pantoja’s Involvement in Money Laundering
Pantoja’s image was significantly damaged when she assisted her then-boyfriend, Julian Muñoz, the former mayor of Marbella, in laundering money illegally obtained from Marbella Town Hall. A Malaga court unanimously recognized her role in a political corruption case, described as ‘one of the most devastating in democratic society’. Muñoz’s ex-wife, Maite Zaldivar, was also sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for aiding her ex-husband in money laundering.
Latest Case and Pantoja’s Future Plans
The latest case against Pantoja was initiated after she authorized her brother Agustín to sell her Marbella residence ‘or pay what was owed’ while she was in prison. The prosecutor alleged that a dubious agreement was made between the company through which Pantoja owned the house and another company, leaving a third party to agree to a significantly reduced repayment for an €800,000 debt. Pantoja is now planning to tour South America to pay off her debts. She has four concerts scheduled in Argentina, Peru, and Chile, with more to be announced. Her first priority is to pay the €414,080 she owes in tax. She also has a €1.5 million mortgage on another property, which has not been paid for two years. She managed to prevent it from being repossessed by using receipts from her Latin America tour as collateral.
