VALENCIA — The head of Investigative Court No. 4 in Valencia has ordered the opening of oral proceedings against Francis Puig, brother of former Generalitat Valenciana president Ximo Puig, and his associate Juan Enrique Adell. Both individuals are facing charges of fraud and document forgery, as revealed in a judicial order dated January 28, 2025.
The case, referred to as the “Ximo Puig’s brother” scandal, stems from a complaint filed by the Valencian PP (People’s Party). The investigation centers on allegations that companies linked to Francis Puig improperly obtained subsidies from both the Generalitat Valenciana and the Government of Catalonia.
According to the judicial order, the investigating magistrate believes the facts under scrutiny could potentially constitute crimes of fraud and document forgery. The court has decided to continue the proceedings using the abbreviated procedure, which is typically employed for serious crimes.
The judge highlighted that some invoices examined during the investigation appeared to be fraudulent, suggesting they were fabricated to inflate the amount of subsidies received. However, the judge ruled out charges of subsidy fraud as the total amount did not surpass the 120,000 euros threshold required by the applicable law at the time of the events. Despite this, the judge found sufficient evidence of fraud and document forgery to warrant the commencement of a trial, dismissing the request for dismissal submitted by Puig’s defense team.
In support of this decision, the magistrate referenced Supreme Court jurisprudence, including ruling 439/2020, which categorizes such actions as continued aggravated fraud. The prosecutor’s report indicates that the facts could constitute either a continued crime of forgery in commercial documents or aggravated fraud, or alternatively, embezzlement.
The fiscal report reveals that the subsidies obtained by the companies Mas Mut Produccions and Comunicacions dels Ports between 2015 and 2018 amounted to 110,691.97 euros. It is alleged that both Francis Puig and Juan Enrique Adell played key roles in securing these funds through fraudulent means.
The trial will now proceed to assess the evidence and determine whether the accused will face criminal penalties.
