A former estate agent has been arrested in Torre del Mar on suspicion of orchestrating a large-scale property scam worth more than €800,000.

Guardia Civil officers from the Torrox-Algarrobo unit detained the man, along with a second individual accused of assisting in the scheme.

The main suspect faces multiple charges, including aggravated fraud, misappropriation, identity theft and money laundering.

The investigation began in December 2025 and has so far identified at least 20 separate fraud offences, affecting victims across Malaga, Jaen, Sevilla and Cordoba.

The total financial damage is estimated at €829,289.

According to investigators, the suspect allegedly used his former position at a real estate agency to gain access to client funds, initially diverting money from rental payments managed by the company.

After being dismissed, he is believed to have continued the fraud using company documentation to appear legitimate and gain the trust of new victims.

The scams reportedly involved fake property sales and rental offers that never materialised.

Victims were asked to make upfront payments in cash, often under the guise of reservation fees, taxes or administrative costs.

The money was then moved through a network of bank accounts, including those belonging to third parties, in an effort to conceal its origin.

The second suspect is accused of playing an active role in the operation, including showing properties to potential victims and helping to collect and transport cash between provinces to make the funds harder to trace.

During a search of a property in Torre del Mar, officers seized extensive documentation linked to the alleged fraud.

An analysis of seven bank accounts and the freezing of financial assets has so far enabled authorities to recover €99,911, which has already been returned to some of the victims.

The investigation remains ongoing as police work to identify additional victims and determine the full scale of the operation. The case has been passed to the court in Torrox for further proceedings.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.