Last Thursday, the Criminal Chamber of the Tangier Court of First Instance convicted two French nationals, a man and a woman, on charges of forgery, use of forged documents, fraud, and complicity. The case involved their attempt to seize a well-known historical and tourist landmark in the city using falsified documents, exploiting it illegally, and defrauding other parties by falsely claiming ownership of the property. According to Assabah newspaper, the court sentenced the male defendant (John B.) in absentia and the female defendant (Laura V.) in person to a total of ten years in prison, divided equally between them, five years each. They were also fined 5,000 dirhams and ordered to pay symbolic compensation of one dirham to the civil plaintiff, with legal costs shared between them. The judgment will be enforced at the lowest level. The court further ordered the destruction of the forged documents and annulment of all procedures based on them, upheld the search warrant for John B., who remains at large, and maintained judicial supervision over Laura V., including the confiscation of her passport and a travel ban. According to Al Akhbar, the case dates back to mid-2024, when the company managing «Villa Josephine» filed a complaint with the Public Prosecution. The complaint revealed an organized network's attempt to use dubious documents to take over the property and sell or rent it to third parties without legal ownership, causing significant financial and reputational harm to the owning company. Following the complaint, the Public Prosecution instructed the regional judicial police to open an investigation, which uncovered serious evidence of an attempt to seize a property with major cultural and tourist value in Tangier. Located in the Cape Spartel area overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar, «Villa Josephine» is one of Tangier's most prestigious luxury tourist establishments. Known for its colonial architecture and expansive gardens, it once served as the residence of prominent diplomatic and military figures before being transformed into a high-end hotel attracting visitors from around the world seeking tranquility and luxury.
