Costa Blanca
The (very suspicious) money abroad of the controversial Torrevieja apartments

The promise of the ideal Mediterranean seaside vacation was the draw that made Torrevieja popular on television throughout the country in the 1980s. But the homes that were listed on Un, Dos, Tres… soon became a nightmare for their owners. Years after the developer abandoned the La Torreta development, there are still problems with the sewage system and paving. The enclave is now a run-down neighbourhood, and some have even voiced their displeasure over squatters occupying mansions and chalets.
The local real estate boom can be attributed to developer Justo Quesada Aniorte, who was the driving force behind Torrevieja’s initial boom. However, one of the construction companies is currently accruing a trail of debts despite having assets and accounts abroad, according to the bankruptcy administrator of Justo y Manoli SL, one of the businesses that is a part of the corporate network of a family that has primarily developed property developments in Murcia and Alicante. Even though they are members of Grupo Masa, his children are gradually distancing themselves from his actions.
In actuality, the company owed the Public Treasury 10.6 million euros, which led the Tax Agency to identify it as a defaulter in 2024. But the liquidated corporation’s problems began far earlier.
A Supreme Court decision states that the business held by Justo y Manoli SL had debts of over 109 million euros in 2015, the year it declared bankruptcy. But it’s important to remember that the aforementioned corporation had 129 million euros in assets and slightly over 107 million in liabilities as of December 31st, 2009.
The Provincial Court of Murcia ruled in 2018 that “the claim that the delay in filing for bankruptcy does not cause aggravation should be rejected, since this delay has not been harmless from the creditors’ perspective.” The court stated that when the bankruptcy petition was filed in May 2015, the assets were estimated to be €41,112,081 and the bankruptcy liabilities totalled €108,969,552.
It has now been demonstrated in court by the bankruptcy administrator that Justo Quesada has funds overseas. Auren Concursal reports on the Tax Agency’s documentation in a July 2024 letter to the Commercial Court number 1 of Murcia.
First, on March 26th, 2024, the businessman filed Form 720 for the declaration of assets and rights abroad with the Tax Agency, revealing that he “holds bank accounts and financial products located abroad” worth around 3.4 million euros. Bank accounts at Credit Suisse (Switzerland), Creand (Andorra), Truist Bank (Florida, United States), Citibank (Florida, United States), and Bank of America (United States) are actually mentioned in the letter to the court.
Furthermore, the assets increased from €6.4 million in the 2019 fiscal year to about €3.2 million in the 2022 fiscal year, as indicated by the Wealth Tax forms for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 that were filed with the Treasury. According to the bankruptcy administrator’s brief, “the executed party’s assets have been reduced by €3,224,733.03 from 2019 to 31/11/2022.”
Accordingly, he believes that “the majority of creditors are home buyers” and that “there has been a progressive and multi-million dollar decline in the assets declared by those executed” following the public administrations.
Through the Masa Group, to which their children are now connected, this publication has attempted to get in touch with the family. However, this real estate development company’s sources deny any affiliation with the Justo and Manoli SL firm. These sources emphasise that “this company has nothing to do with Masa,” but they also clarify that Justo Quesada’s business “is a firm in bankruptcy like so many others.”
In any event, Masa’s spokesperson notes that the case is being brought to court because “the bankruptcy administrator is being sued for malpractice.” “His assets have been declared for more than ten years and have been brought to the attention of the court,” the spokesperson continues. “If Justo and Manoli’s assets had been auctioned at market prices, these debts would not only have been paid, but there would have been money left over,” these individuals complain. The bankruptcy administrator has been approached by this newspaper, but he has not responded.
Manoli’s past has been replete with controversy; for instance, he was previously criticised for constructing 3,500 residences in Camposol (Murcia) without a permit. The Mazarrón City Council was forced to handle millions of dollars in damages to the development’s public facilities, and the Segura Hydrographic Confederation even launched action against the construction business for constructing in the bed of a ravine.
A former Justo y Manoli employee who is aware with the company’s financial records claims that “the parents transferred companies to their children, precisely to avoid the father being seized, prior to the bankruptcy.” According to one worker, who spent a number of years as a management at the construction company, the family’s method of surviving the financial crisis is “not paying suppliers.”
“They have survived real estate bubbles by leaving the companies and not returning until the storm had passed,” adds one former employee, who attests to the fact that home buyers who felt defrauded made a lot of complaints and claims. “I have seen suppliers and clients who have lost everything .”
According to this source, many customers who were left with partially constructed homes did not receive their money returned. “The trick has always worked out well for them,” the former employee complains, despite everything.
Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Costa Blanca
Moldovan mobster arrested in Torrevieja

A 37-year-old Moldovan male has been taken into custody by the Guardia Civil in accordance with an Italian European Arrest Warrant (EAW). Known as “thieves in law,” the detainee belonged to the Russian-Soviet criminal organisation VOR V ZAKONE, which was committed to committing significant crimes.
The arrest happened on February 28th in Torrevieja while Guardia Civil officers were performing a public safety duty. While on patrol, they spotted three people on a restaurant terrace and saw one of them attempting to hide after spotting them. The officers became suspicious of this behaviour and went on to identify him.
After doing technical examinations, the authorities concluded that the person’s Romanian passport, which was of excellent quality, was a fake. After being detained and brought to government facilities, his fingerprints were recognised, proving his identity.
On March 2th, 2022, the Verona Criminal Court sentenced the detainee to 11 years in prison for international criminal conspiracy offences of a mafia nature. The detainee was a member of the VOR V ZAKONE organisation, which was committed to committing crimes against people and property using mafia-style intimidation, threats, and violence.
The man had been hiding in Spain since the sentencing, using fictitious paperwork to evade discovery. To ascertain whether the fugitive has committed crimes in Spain, the Guardia Civil is still looking into the matter.
The detainee was taken to the Court of First Instance in Torrevieja, where he was ordered to be detained until his extradition to Italy.
The Guardia Civil underlines its commitment to combating international crime and deals another blow to organised crime with this operation.
Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Costa Blanca
Alicante to Seville daily with new Ryanair schedule

During the summer of 2025, Ryanair will run daily flights between Alicante and Seville.
The company plans to connect the two cities on a daily basis from today, March 27th, until October 25th. This year, the connection is strengthened with a flight every weekday, in contrast to the 2024 summer season when the route ran six days a week (with double frequency on Sundays and no flights on Wednesdays). Additionally, Ryanair plans to launch eight weekly flights in April 2025, with the addition of a second daily frequency on Saturdays.
Reaching 125,581 passengers in 2024, the link with Seville, the capital of Andalusia and Spain’s fourth most populous city, saw stratospheric growth. Compared to 2023, when the route carried 58,361 people between the two cities, this number marked a 115% increase.
A potential increase of frequency on the Alicante-Elche and Seville route has not been ruled out, and Ryanair will soon release its 2025–2026 winter schedule. Given the ongoing increase in demand on this route, the Irish airline may be planning to improve connection, as it ran five weekly flights during the previous winter season.
Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Costa Blanca
Benidorm could start fining illegal tourist properties by Easter

Since the formal transfer of authority is anticipated to take place next week, Benidorm may start immediately fining unlawful tourist accommodations as early as Easter. Marián Cano, the Regional Minister of Innovation, Industry, Commerce, and Tourism, made this announcement as an indication of the advancements made in working with local councils to keep an eye on the tourism industry’s underground economy. The city councils of Alicante, Castellón, Elche, Torrevieja, and Benicarló are among the other municipalities that have stated their intention to take on this responsibility. This progress has already been formalised in Valencia, where the transfer of powers has been completed and all the procedures are prepared for approval next week in Benidorm.
In her response to a parliamentary question, the Nuciera councillor discussed the issue in Les Corts and stressed that the new tourism inspection plan “is not a continuation of the previous one, but rather an improvement that introduces more effective measures, strengthens institutional collaboration, and better responds to the needs of the sector.” She stressed cooperation with local governments in this regard in order to provide “more effective inspections and a swift response to irregularities.”
Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
-
Costa Blanca2 weeks ago
More than 1.5 million bottle caps are donated by Benidorm to the “Caps for a New Life” charity initiative
-
Costa Blanca2 weeks ago
In Benidorm, a repeat abuser breaks into his ex-‘s home and assaults her
-
Costa Blanca2 weeks ago
The importance of bees is a topic that children in Alicante are being taught
-
Costa Blanca2 weeks ago
In 2024, the Emergency Department received over 250,000 calls from Alicante
-
Costa Blanca1 week ago
Elche is seeking tender for an additional 22,000 plants, shrubs, and flowers from 150 different species
-
Costa Blanca2 weeks ago
Former leader of ETA, will appear in court today charged with planting a bomb Alicante-Elche airport
-
News2 weeks ago
In 2025, the pension in Alicante will be increased
-
Costa Blanca1 week ago
€85,000 lottery winner in Torrevieja