Botín serenely contemplates 150-year sentence

You don't become chairman of Santander Central Hispano, Spain's largest bank, and the undisputed don of Spanish finance, if you're easily flustered. But Emilio Botín is something else. He was quizzed recently by Spanish journalists about how he felt about the 150-year jail sentence he's facing for alleged tax fraud. Serene, he told them.

Santander’s Emilo Botin is the latest target of Spain’s judiciary

Botín is the latest high-profile target for Spain’s very active judiciary. Judge Teresa Palacios has been given permission to begin proceedings against him and four former directors of Banco Santander (as it was at the time of the alleged offences) by the Audiencia Nacional, Spain’s highest court. The charges relate to the bank’s activities in the late 1980s.

In 1987 the Santander Group began to market its now infamous cesiones de crédito, or loan assignments.

Access intelligence that drives action

To unlock this research, enter your email to log in or enquire about access