A 43-year-old resident of Ourense has been sentenced for falsifying documents to obtain loans worth €11,200 in his father's name, taking advantage of having completed his father's tax return. The 21-month prison sentence has been suspended.
The justice system has concluded a case of identity theft within a family context that occurred in Ourense. A 43-year-old man, with no prior criminal record, has been convicted in a plea agreement for a continued offence of falsification of commercial documents. The accused admitted to having applied for several loans in his father's name totalling €11,200, exploiting his access to his father's personal data and electronic ID.
The origin of the deception dates back to the trust placed in the son to carry out the tax return for the parent. With that information, the accused opened an online bank account in his father's name on January 12, 2023, using his own phone and email, as well as the address of a former workplace.
From there, the scheme unfolded in just two months. On January 17, 2023, the son arranged a first loan of €6,868, which generated a debt of €7,057. On February 22, he purchased a Nintendo console with several games, financing the purchase with another loan of €398.97 (final debt: €432.36). Finally, on March 2 of that same year, he obtained a third loan of €4,000, which he received in the fraudulently opened account, leaving an outstanding balance of €3,565.
The judge of the 1st Court of the Criminal Section of the Ourense Court imposed a fine of €1,080 and a 21-month prison sentence on the accused. However, she granted the benefit of suspension of the custodial sentence for a period of two years, provided he meets two conditions: not committing any new offences from June 15 (date of the ruling) and paying the financial penalty in monthly instalments of €100.
The judge warned the convicted individual in the courtroom of the consequences of failing to comply with these conditions. If he reoffends or fails to pay, the suspension could be revoked and he could be imprisoned. The sentence is final, having been issued by agreement between the parties.
This case highlights the risks of sharing sensitive data, even within the closest environment. Identity theft to obtain credit is a crime that can go unnoticed until the first payment demands arrive. In this case, the victim was the father himself, who faced debts he had not incurred.
To avoid similar situations, experts recommend safeguarding electronic IDs and not sharing access codes with third parties, not even with family members. Additionally, it is advisable to periodically review credit histories and bank accounts to detect unauthorized transactions.
The convicted individual, who had no prior record, has accepted his responsibility and has committed to paying the fine in instalments. The justice system hopes that the suspension of the sentence will serve as a deterrent and reintegration measure.
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