The Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalonia’s police force, have arrested the owner of a Harley-Davidson dealership in Barcelona as part of an ongoing investigation into a motorcycle trading scam. Three additional individuals are under investigation in connection with the case.
The arrested man, who owns the Harley-Davidson store on Calvet Street in Barcelona, which was the first Harley dealership to open in Spain, is accused of being part of a criminal group involved in a range of illegal activities. These include forging documents, wrongfully appropriating vehicles, and running a scam to defraud customers.
The alleged criminal scheme revolved around buying second-hand motorcycles, reselling them, and then pocketing the payments without delivering the bikes. Additionally, the group is accused of selling brand-new motorcycles that were never actually provided to customers.
So far, around twenty victims have come forward, though police believe there may be more. Complaints of the scam began to surface in late August 2024, with many affected customers being told by the dealership that it was facing financial troubles. By September 2024, the dealership ceased its operations.
On November 6, authorities arrested the dealership owner and recovered 11 stolen motorcycles. The investigation remains ongoing, as investigators continue to assess the full extent of the scam and identify any additional victims.