Guardia Civil officers under investigation for alleged fake expenses

MORE than 100 Guardia Civil officers are under investigation for allegedly claiming fake expenses when they travelled to Madrid for work.

Madrid’s Public Prosecutor’s office took the case to the courts after the police force’s accounts department reported that 137 officers had been putting in hotel bills on their expenses when they had actually sought accommodation at the force’s residence in the city.

Altogether the amount believed to have been claimed during the period under investigation, from January 1 2011 to November 28 2014, is more than €14,000 with individual amounts ranging from €33.80 to €1,489.74 depending on the duration of the stay and the officer’s rank.

Amongst those under investigation there are 16 higher ranking officials including a lieutenant colonel, 13 sub-officials and more than 100 corporals and plain officers.

The Guardia Civil’s internal financial department raised the alarm after noticing that the hotel bills, all issued by Hostal Las Vegas on Calle Almansa in the city, near to the police force’s headquarters, were all for the maximum amount permitted on the officer’s travel orders. Investigations found that the officers involved had all been registered at the Guardia’s residence on Calle Principe de Vergara on the dates declared, where they paid less than €10 per night.

The case is under investigation by a Madrid court, however due to the fact that officers across Spain are involved various regional courts have been asked to collaborate and collect statements.