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The Nóos case, also known as the Babel operation, is an ongoing case of alleged political corruption in Spain which started in 2010, derived from the Palma Arena case. The leaders of the nonprofit foundation Nóos Institute, Iñaki Urdangarin, then Duke of Palma de Mallorca, and his business partner Diego Torres have been accused of using Nóos and a corporate network of companies to embezzle about 6 million euros ($6.6 million) in public funds for sporting events, perverting the course of justice, falsification and money laundering.
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The accused
In December 2011, the judge attendant of the Palma Arena case, José Castro, charged nine individuals. In 2013, after one of the accused, Diego Torres, had confessed, the list increased to 10. As of 2016 the list has grown to 18.The main defendants have been:
Timeline
In February 2006, Antoni Dieguez, a Socialist representative in the Balearic Parliament, said that the Government chaired by Jaume Matas had paid 1.2 million euros to the Nóos Institute for a 3-day forum on tourism and sport from 22 until 25 November 2005, with minimal impact.
In the summer of 2007 the Palma Arena case began, when an imbalance of more than 50 million euros in the accounts of the newly opened sports center Palma Arena became public as it had cost 110 million with a bidding price of 43 million.
In 2010, the Nóos case was opened as derived from the Palma Arena case. in the Palma Arena records police found two collaboration agreements between the Balearic Government and the Nóos Institute. The magistrate Jose Castro found sufficient cause to open a separate case, misappropriation of public funds, embezzlement of public funds and fraudulent administration.