Actor Connery in Spanish property probe

[Goldeneye]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... wD9FI2M8O0

(AP) – 1 hour ago

MADRID — A Spanish news network says former James Bond star Sean Connery will be questioned over a real estate deal.

Cadena Ser and other media outlets say Connery and wife Micheline Roquebrune will be called to a court in coastal Marbella over matters related to the sale of an area estate.

For 20 years Connery vacationed at his lavish property, Malibu, before selling it in 1998. After the sale, a block of 70 apartments was built on the spot.

Madrid and Marbella lawyers Diaz-Bastien & Truan — who media reports Friday said represented the Hollywood actor — told The Associated Press their offices were raided Wednesday by Treasury inspectors, but declined to confirm if Connery was a client.

Neither the Marbella court nor the Treasury department would comment.

[Blowfeld]

Goldfinger investigation leads to Bond star Sean Connery being called before a Spanish court

By Tom Worden
Last updated at 11:40 PM on 7th May 2010

Court date: Sean Connery and his wife, Micheline, will face a Spanish magistrate this month

Court date: Sean Connery and his wife Micheline will face a magistrate investigating alleged financial irregularities on the Costa del Sol

Sean Connery has been ordered to appear before a Spanish magistrate investigating alleged financial irregularities on the Costa del Sol.

The James Bond star, 79, and his wife Micheline Roquebrune, are being investigated by a court in the millionaires' playground of Marbella.

Five lawyers have also been ordered to appear before the court after police raided their offices on Wednesday in an operation named Goldfinger.

Connery and his wife, Michelle, a French painter, lived in Marbella from the early 1970s to the late 1990s in a beachside mansion called Malibu.

They entertained stars including Richard Burton, Michael Caine, Omar Sharif and George best in the magnificent whitewashed villa.

Connery sold the property for a reported $9million in the late 90s, and 72 luxury flats were later built on the land.

A two-bedroom apartment there is now worth around £2million.

Magistrate Ricardo Puyol is reportedly investigating the sale of the house and allegations of tax evasion and money-laundering.

The actor and his wife are expected to appear before the magistrate at Marbella's Court of Instruction number 1 on May 27, 28 or 29.

They will be questioned in detail, behind closed doors, before the magistrate decides if any further action should be taken.

Neither Connery or his wife have been arrested or charged with any offence.

On Wednesday officers from the National Police accompanied by tax officials raided the officers of law firm Diaz-Bastien & Truan in Marbella and Madrid.

Operating on the orders of the magistrate, the officers reportedly seized 30,000 documents.

The magistrate has placed a secrecy order on the case which bans any officials from speaking about the investigation.

National newspaper El Mundo said the magistrate is investigating a number of property deals made during the tenure of controversial Marbella mayor Jesus Gil y Gil, the former owner of Atletico Madrid football club.

It said the magistrate was investigating possible tax evasion, embezzlement, perversion of justice and money-laundering.

Last night, a spokeswoman for Connery said there would be no need for him to make a comment as, 'He did not own any property in Spain.'

She added: 'Lady Connery did own property in Marbella, but she sold it many years ago.'

When asked if Lady Connery would attend the court, the spokeswoman said: 'She sold the property many years ago.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldne ... z0nIpZFryD

[Dr. No]

What si all this? Is Connery being accused of something or are they digging around and asking him questions?

[carl stromberg]

The Spanish property laws are bizarre. The authorites there sometimes decide that properties did not have the relevant documents when built many years before and send the bulldozers in! I'm not sure if Sean made any money but whoever bought the land must have made a nice profit.