Albert Cavallé, a 44-year-old man currently incarcerated since December 2023, has confessed to the crimes attributed to him during a trial at the Barcelona Court. The proceedings focused on one of his latest victims, a woman suffering from multiple sclerosis and affective disorders, for whom the prosecution is seeking a sentence of seven and a half years in prison. During his testimony, Cavallé stated that he feels disgust regarding his past actions, admitting that during that period he dedicated himself to "this shit" and has always avoided working.
The accused defrauded the victim of more than €50,000 between October 2020 and August 2022. Cavallé met the woman on Tinder in October 2020 and deceived her by posing as a businessman and a rich heir. He convinced her to transfer money for alleged business meetings or legal battles to recover a supposed inheritance from his grandfather. Additionally, he took her credit card to make purchases, had her pay for luxury clothing, hotel stays, and a trip to Mallorca that he eventually took alone. The fraud also included the theft of two computers, a television, glasses, a coat, and a motorcycle for which the victim had taken out a loan.
Cavallé, who has been reported by more than twenty victims and holds several prior convictions for obtaining money from women met through dating apps, promised to return all stolen funds to his current accuser. He described her as an administrative employee at a pharmaceutical company who made numerous transfers to him. The accused claimed he realized he had destroyed the lives of both the victim and his own family, vowing to clean up his criminal record. He indicated that he intends to repay the debt using money from a book and a series he claims have been offered to him.
The prosecution accuses Cavallé of continued fraud, theft, and misappropriation. They are requesting seven and a half years of imprisonment, disqualification, full compensation for the defrauded amount, €1,200 paid by the insurance company Axa due to one of the reported thefts, and a fine of €4,320. The prosecution rejected the mitigating circumstance of confession, considering it "late" because it occurred during the trial itself. They argued that Cavallé exploited the victim's vulnerability, noting she had multiple sclerosis and was known for her kindness.
The victim, who could not testify in person due to her condition, provided a pre-constituted statement expressing her trust in the accused. Her lawyer stated that the total amount defrauded exceeds €70,000, wiping out her savings which had dropped from over €50,300 at the start of the relationship to approximately €200 by the end. A colleague testified that the victim was a very frugal person who was saving to buy an apartment but began spending money inconsistent with her habits due to the scam. The consequences of her illness and the fraud have already caused her to lose her job.
Cavallé's lawyer, Sebastià de Juan, stated after the trial that the man is not the same as before and is reinserting himself by completing all prison programs. He emphasized that his client has recognized the facts, asked for forgiveness from the victims, and intends to repair the damage as he works. The trial concluded without an agreement between the parties due to disagreements over legal qualifications and the penalties requested by the prosecution versus those proposed by the defense.
Sources: El País Portada.