EDINBURGH, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 21: EIFF patron Sir Sean Connery and his wife Micheline attend the red carpet gala for the film "Stone of Destiny" on day four of the Edinburgh International Film Festival at Cineworld on June 21, 2008 in Edinburgh, Scotland (Photo by Martin McNeil/Getty Images) (2008 Getty Images)
Sean Connery’s wife was charged in Spain for allegedly taking part in a tax fraud-scheme that cheated the Spanish treasury out of millions of euros.
The Guardian reported that Micheline Roquebrune, 86, the wife of the Oscar-winning actor, faces two years in prison, if convicted. She was charged after an investigation found apparent irregularities surrounding the sale of the couple’s property in Marbella for $6.77 million.
Prosecutors allege she was connected to a Spanish company called By the Sea that worked with shady lawyers and businessmen to hide profits of the sale. Roquebrune has denied the allegations.
An indictment unsealed by the Supreme Court of the southern region of Andalucia said Roquebrune could also be fined $24.4 million for her alleged involvement in the operation to defraud the Spanish treasury.
Connery and his wife owned the luxurious seaside villa “Malibu” near Marbella for several decades before selling it in 1999. The property was subsequently demolished and 73 luxury apartments were built in its place – even though local officials only approved the construction of five family homes, the Guardian reported.
The “James Bond” actor, 85, was cleared of any involvement earlier this year during the long-running investigation that Spanish officials dubbed “Operation Goldfinger.”
Prosecutors said a letter will be sent to Roquebrune at her Bahamas home informing her of the court’s decision to charge her. The trial will take place in a criminal court in Malaga, Spain. A court date has not been set.
According to the Guardian, Operation Goldfinger was an off-shoot investigation from a larger operation looking into corruption in Marbella. It has led to at least 50 people being convicted for charges including property fraud, bribery and money laundering.
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