Probe into missing EUR 45m from charity coffers 04/04/2007 00:00

4 April 2007

MADRID – A police investigation was underway on Wednesday into EUR 45 million which was missing from the coffers of the charity Intervida.

The charity, which helps children in Peru and Guatemala, could have given the cash to a series of property companies instead, sources close to the investigation suggested.

Far from helping poor street children, some members of the charity may have been helping themselves.

The NGO denies any wrong-doing.

An investigation has been opened by the supreme court in Catalonia, where the charity is based.

The charity invites donors to sponsor a child for EUR 21 a month with the promise that this money must go towards paying for medication, building schools, hospitals and orphanages. 

In Spain alone, there are 356,000 ‘godparents’ who give EUR 90 million a month.

The investigation centred on the companies Genéricos Farma Ahorro, Roure Construcciones, Argenta Inmobiliaria, Industria General de Productos Alimentarios, Consultoría Latina de Servicios Legales and Genéricos Corporación Medicamentos.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news