A British expat and his partner are accused of defrauding a compatriot pensioner of €86,000 in Alicante province, it has emerged.

According to respected regional newspaper Informacion, Matthew Joseph Smith was one of two people arrested as part of the investigation.

He is a former PSOE council candidate and ex-town hall representative in Rojales, one of Alicante’s biggest expat hotspots.

Local residents told the Spanish Eye that Smith has lived in Spain since he was very young.

Smith was detained alongside his partner after Guardia Civil investigators accused the pair of systematically emptying the victim’s bank accounts after allegedly gaining his trust over several years.

According to investigators, the British pensioner was elderly, vulnerable and suffering from health problems when the couple allegedly began helping him with day-to-day tasks and administrative matters.

The case has caused shock locally because Smith previously held an official position linked to the Rojales town hall.

Following the 2023 municipal elections, PSOE mayor Antonio Perez appointed him as his representative for the municipality’s urbanisations, including Ciudad Quesada – one of the Costa Blanca’s largest foreign residential communities.

The role is similar to that of a local district representative and is particularly important in areas with large numbers of elderly foreign residents who often rely on trusted advisers to help navigate Spanish bureaucracy.

However, the mayor said Smith was removed from the role after just four months, in January 2024, after concerns were raised.

Perez told local media he personally suggested Smith resign after receiving information that sparked suspicions.

Despite stepping down, Smith reportedly continued collaborating with the town hall on translation work and occasionally accompanied the mayor to meetings with foreign residents.

He had also appeared on the PSOE electoral list for the 2023 local elections.

The Guardia Civil investigation began earlier this year after a British citizen discovered a deceased relative’s bank accounts had been emptied.

Investigators say the alleged fraud took place between 2019 and 2022.

According to police, the suspects carried out numerous bank transfers, cash withdrawals and purchases, including transactions allegedly made while the victim was hospitalised and even after his death.

Authorities say analysis of banking records allowed officers to trace the money trail and confirm the alleged fraud.

Police also reportedly discovered that Smith had previous offences linked to similar crimes.

The pair, aged 42 and 41, were brought before an investigating court in Torrevieja and released under precautionary measures while the investigation continues.

The local PP opposition has already announced it will demand explanations from the PSOE-led council during next week’s municipal plenary session.