Those arrested for selling luxury villas in Mallorca linked to a Russian businessman were acting as front men.
The investigation began when a complex corporate structure designed to conceal the assets of a Russian arms manufacturer sanctioned by the European Union was detected.
PalmThe three people arrested on March 11 for their alleged involvement in the fraudulent sale of several luxury villas in Mallorca linked to a Russian oligarch were acting as front men to prevent the seizure of luxury goods following the war in Ukraine. According to a press release from the National Police, the suspects (two men and a woman) actively collaborated with an individual and two legal entities included on the sanctions list of the European Union and other international organizations as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. The investigation began when a complex corporate network was detected, designed to conceal the assets of a Russian national subject to international sanctions. According to the investigation, the detainees allegedly acted as front men, facilitating asset management and financial transactions to avoid the precautionary seizure of his property. The individuals involved, located in Spain, participated in managing and paying for utilities at the properties and acted as representatives and agents of the sanctioned Russian companies, police said. This allowed them to obstruct and hinder the seizure of several luxury properties, conceal the true ownership of bank accounts, and prove ownership of high-end vehicles located in Spain. The investigation revealed that the objective was to prevent the sanctioned individual's assets from being frozen or blocked, thus allowing him to continue enjoying his wealth and property in Spain despite the prohibition on the disposal of funds issued by the competent authorities. On March 11, officers carried out several raids on five luxury villas, seizing extensive documentation, more than €300,000 in cash, six high-end vehicles, electronic devices, and other material relevant to the case.
That same day, three people were arrested for alleged crimes of organized crime, money laundering, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice. A judge in Palma ordered the provisional release of two of the three people under investigation and imposed the obligation to appear in court every 15 days, the surrender of their passports, and a ban on leaving the island.
The third person arrested, according to legal sources speaking to Europa Press, was released after giving a statement at the police station. The case, according to the High Court of Justice of the Balearic Islands (TSJIB), is under seal. The National Police are continuing their investigation to determine if there are more people or entities involved.
Five mansions
Police sources have confirmed that the searches were carried out at some of the five mansions formally registered in the names of Kolesov's relatives. According to a complaint filed last June by the Anti-Corruption Foundation—a Russian opposition organization—these properties were allegedly used to circumvent the embargo imposed after the invasion of Ukraine. The magnate, an executive in the arms sector and linked to the Russian military-industrial complex, reportedly owns several luxury villas in Mallorca registered in the names of his children and a sister, according to information provided by this organization. Helicopters for the Russian army
Kolesov is the CEO of Russian Helicopters, a company considered one of the main suppliers of helicopters to the Russian military. The businessman is on the European Union's sanctions list for his connection to the military aggression against Ukraine. A 2024 expansion of the European Commission's sanctions list explicitly included him, considering his company "key to the Russian military-industrial complex" and stating that its equipment is used by the Russian Armed Forces. According to an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Foundation, the properties linked to Kolesov in Mallorca are valued at approximately €18 million. These properties are registered in the names of family members.
Among these properties is a 1,200-square-meter villa in Calvià, with a large swimming pool and close to the sea. The property was acquired in 2014 by a Russian electrical connector company linked to Kolesov, and in 2022 it was registered in the name of one of his daughters, who was four years old at the time. Investigators also attribute to the arms manufacturer the actual ownership of another villa in the same area, approximately 500 square meters and valued at around three million euros, which is registered in the name of his 72-year-old sister. Furthermore, the investigation identifies a third property actually comprised of three adjoining houses, with a combined area of approximately 750 square meters. The houses are located on a hill overlooking the sea and have an estimated value of around ten million euros. A minor son is listed as the owner.
According to the complaint filed by the Russian opposition organization, the formal owner of these three properties is the arms manufacturer's young son, who was also four years old at the time of their acquisition. In filing the complaint, the Anti-Corruption Foundation asked Spanish authorities to investigate the actual ownership of these properties in Mallorca and, if a link to Kolesov is confirmed, to apply the sanctions established by the European Union against businesspeople involved in the invasion of Ukraine.