Supreme Court Upholds Prison Sentences for €105,000 Tegueste Real Estate Fraud

The Supreme Court has upheld a four-year prison sentence for a fake lawyer and a real estate agent involved in a €105,000 fraud in Tegueste. The final ruling confirms that the pair acted without the property owner’s knowledge, bypassing essential legal safeguards.

In addition to their prison terms, each defendant must pay a €2,200 fine and repay the full amount stolen. The fraud began when the real estate agent ignored the homeowner’s decision to cancel the sale after discovering the agent had unauthorizedly lowered the price. Working with an accomplice posing as a lawyer, the agent convinced a buyer to make several deposits under the false promise of a property purchase.

The Supreme Court rejected the defense’s claims of unfair trial proceedings, noting that the defendants failed to actively cooperate with their legal counsel. The court also declined to convict another agency employee whose bank account was used to hide €35,000 of the stolen funds.

The scheme unraveled when the buyer, suspicious of the constant delays and the lack of a formal notary appointment, contacted the actual owner. The owner confirmed she had never authorized the sale or received any money. During the trial, investigators used text messages and a draft contract—which showed the scammers planning to return the money—to prove the fraud.

This case highlights the dangers of bypassing formal real estate procedures. By avoiding public deeds and failing to verify property ownership, the scammers were able to operate undetected for months. The ruling serves as a stark reminder for buyers to always verify the legal status of a property and the identity of those involved before transferring any funds.