An official at Loulé court has been arrested for taking money in exchange for information about seized properties.
As part of the same Judicial Police investigation, a group of three men were arrested for financial crimes involving vehicle loans.
According to the prosecutor, one of those detained is a businessman who is suspected of corruption, criminal association, fraud, forgery and money laundering.
The authorities alledge that the court worker provided privileged court information about properties that were to be 'auctioned off' but in fact were sold on at bargain prices. Court worker Jorge Gomes then sold information about properties for around €2,000 a time.
The businessman is suspected of leading the group involved in purchasing vehicles in a complex €1 million scam involving forged documents to obtain loans from banks and financial institutions.
