£11 Million spent - time to end?

£180-£200 per night unbelievable, something not right here.

The Daily Fail ( which hates all things police ) doesn't say they paid that though. They could have block booked empty rooms at a cheaper rate, had 2-3 in a dearer room working out at less per person etc. Very selective reporting

Perhaps they're about to get rumbled so pre-empted it with some tripe about having a 'special' account....

None of that money would have been needed if they'd let Gonçalo Amaral do his job. If he was wrong, he'd have found that out and then could've went in another direction. The fact he wasn't allowed to follow through is the reason money is still being spent. Every lead and possibility has been looked at, except of course the one that's pretty clear. IMO

costello wrote:£180-£200 per night unbelievable, something not right here.

A quick Google shows that a room in Ria Park this Sunday can be booked online for £161 and Hotel Dona Filipa for £157. If you phoned these hotels direct to make a block booking, you would probably get a considerable discount.

Actually, if the Mail had done a bit of homework, they could have quoted the price of the presidential suite at Dona Filipa 1519 euros per night

AndyB wrote:

Mimi wrote:
He told how former GP Kate and heart doctor Gerry, both 37, of Rothley, Leics, had moved money from the publicly-backed Find Maddie Fund into a special account in anticipation of having to finance the hunt for their daughter themselves.

I don't understand. Why do they need to do this? Why can't they finance the hunt directly from the fund's bank account? What's so special about this "special account"?

The so called "Fund" is officially under the control of SIX Directors.
I would hazard a guess that the new account is not.

I wonder if SY have started to look at the "Fund", and this is Mitchell's way of trying to explain away a fraud before they find it.

The Sun     Thursday September 3, 2015.

£11M HUNT WASTE

MADDIE COPS IN 5-STAR HOTELS
Exclusive by TOM WELLS

COPS heading the hunt for Madeleine McCann stayed in five-star hotels with rooms costing up to £200 a night.
They included five luxury resorts where cheaper hotels were available nearer investigation scenes. The officers
were with Operation Grange , which the Sun revealed yesterday has cost £11million without any arrests. Last
year they took 67 flights to Portugal , costing £16,000. In July officers stayed at the £180-a-night Ria Park as
they quizzed suspects at Faro police station a 20-minute drive away. Cops also stayed at the £200 a-night Hotel Dona Filipa near Ria Park. They are near some of Portugal's best golf courses. Scotland Yard said hotels were "booked
by Mets Travel Services in accordance with agreed Government rates which aim to ensure best value".
The Sun says.


Why are cops living in luxury as they hunt for Madeleine?
It is no wonder the bill has soared beyond £11million when they are blowing £200 a night on hotels.
The Government injected those millions to give police the best of finding out what happened to the
girl. Not to pay their bills at fancy golf resorts.

having read that latest sun article and the one with O'Connor I wonder if this is their way of saying hurry up and announce what we think you already know.
it does seem significant that as soon RB is back Maddie is on the front page again.

Looks like a strategic attempt to convince the masses that it's all a terrible waste of money, so please shut down OG. 

Oh, and starting to subtly discredit OG as well.

Desperate times at the McHeadquarters I feel.

Imo etc.

Hellsbells wrote:having read that latest sun article and the one with O'Connor I wonder if this is their way of saying hurry up and announce what we think you already know.
it does seem significant that as soon RB is back Maddie is on the front page again.

Yep - ageed

I am now wondering if Operation Grange are backing off and allowing the P.J. to take full control of the case.

PeterMac wrote:

AndyB wrote:

Mimi wrote:
He told how former GP Kate and heart doctor Gerry, both 37, of Rothley, Leics, had moved money from the publicly-backed Find Maddie Fund into a special account in anticipation of having to finance the hunt for their daughter themselves.

I don't understand. Why do they need to do this? Why can't they finance the hunt directly from the fund's bank account? What's so special about this "special account"?

The so called "Fund" is officially under the control of SIX Directors.
I would hazard a guess that the new account is not.

I wonder if SY have started to look at the "Fund", and this is Mitchell's way of trying to explain away a fraud before they find it.

Possibly, but the fund can spend the money in any way it likes to help the McCanns, and has done so in the past, so what's changed that they now need to move money out of the fund and into a "special" account. Perhaps its SY looking at the fund as you say, but I don't see how moving the money helps them in that respect. If the fund is fraudulent, then its fraudulent irrespective of where the money now is. If I were to speculate on nothing more than a cynical imagination I might suggest that the money is being moved to protect it from potential seizure by, perhaps the UK authorities (maybe under POCA) or perhaps the Portuguese authorities (via our courts if necessary) to settle their legal costs, and is now in a "special" Swiss account.

Of course the "special" account could just be the McCann's normal account and its just Mitchell trying to spin away the distaste that the public at large would feel at the money being used for the McCanns rather than the search Madeleine

costello wrote:I am now wondering if Operation Grange are backing off and allowing the P.J. to take full control of the case.

The PJ always did have full control I think Costello, it is their case.  If you mean giving up then they (SY) would look a bit stupid now after so  long.  They reviewed the case first for well over a year, then turned it into a full blown investigation.  After such a long review, and don't forget the Home Sec Alan Johnson also did a review or scoping exercise years before, they should have known precisely what was what, and would not have proceeded to change the definition from 'review' to 'investigation' imo.  There must have been good reason to start 'investigating'

Thanks for the information Candyfloss.

Just a snippet from this article re scoping exercise being 'sensitive'



I have asked the home secretary to look into what more the government could do to help find Madeleine.

"She will be writing to you today, setting out new action involving the Metropolitan Police Service which we hope will help boost efforts in the search for Madeleine."

Former Home Secretary Alan Johnson commissioned a scoping exercise by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (Ceop) centre to look at the feasibility of carrying out a review of the case.

This was completed in March 2010, but Mr McCann said current Home Secretary Theresa May refused to let him and his wife see it because it was "sensitive".

British police were involved in the Portuguese investigation from the early days.

That involvement included the Forensic Science Service carrying out testing on samples sent to their laboratories in Birmingham; and various British police forces, co-ordinated by Leicestershire police, providing translators, family liaison officers, child abduction experts and specialist sniffer dogs.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13378289

Are they in fact moving money out of the Fund to pay the Costs of the GA trial.
People tend to forget and the British press refuse to report, that they already have to pay 60% of the costs of that case.
If they lost the appeal, against the two issues (out of seven !) which were found in their favour, they will not only have to pay the full costs of the original trial, AND the appeal, and potentially some damages to GA.
He may then decide to counter-sue.

Mitchell seems to have blundered big time with that revelation.
The "Fund" exists to Find Madeline. (allegedly) There is no reason to siphon money off into an Account to Find Madeleine
And remember that the other four directors are jointly and severally responsible if it shown that this is dishonest

Odd thing to say by pinky oh dear!

PeterMac wrote:Are they in fact moving money out of the Fund to pay the Costs of the GA trial.
People tend to forget and the British press refuse to report, that they already have to pay 60% of the costs of that case.
If they lost the appeal, against the two issues (out of seven !) which were found in their favour, they will not only have to pay the full costs of the original trial, AND the appeal, and potentially some damages to GA.
He may then decide to counter-sue.

Mitchell seems to have blundered big time with that revelation.
The "Fund" exists to Find Madeline. (allegedly)   There is no reason to siphon money off into an Account to Find Madeleine
And remember that the other four directors are jointly and severally responsible if it shown that this is dishonest

Well, having now publicly announced that this `special` cache is to find Madeleine if the police don`t succeed, they can hardly then use it to pay legal costs.

Andrew wrote:http://laidbareblog.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

What a very good blog this is. All the articles.

Mimi wrote:

PeterMac wrote:Are they in fact moving money out of the Fund to pay the Costs of the GA trial.
People tend to forget and the British press refuse to report, that they already have to pay 60% of the costs of that case.
If they lost the appeal, against the two issues (out of seven !) which were found in their favour, they will not only have to pay the full costs of the original trial, AND the appeal, and potentially some damages to GA.
He may then decide to counter-sue.

Mitchell seems to have blundered big time with that revelation.
The "Fund" exists to Find Madeline. (allegedly)   There is no reason to siphon money off into an Account to Find Madeleine
And remember that the other four directors are jointly and severally responsible if it shown that this is dishonest

Well, having now publicly announced that this `special` cache is to find Madeleine if the police don`t succeed, they can hardly then use it to pay legal costs.

But if the investigation isn't dropped and the money already thus secured in a seperate harbour - perhaps a private account - who would know what it could be used for in the future? Is there any legal right to scrutinise and publicise the movements of any private account as there is for Ltd company accounts? I don't think there is. Once the money is segregated (a purposeless exercise as the original "fund" purports to be for the search for Madeleine) will it be beyond the control of the administrators? I would hazard a guess that this would be correct and therefore could be used in any way. If the investigation continues in the short and medium term any thoughts that this money was set aside for the continuation of the search privately will be forgotten, I'll wager.

A masterstroke by TM? And a howler from Clarrie or a planned strategy to keep things seemingly and publicly above board bearing in mind they know full well there will be no immediate cessation to the Met investigation?

Just questions and my own musings, as ever.

Dee Coy wrote:

Andrew wrote:http://laidbareblog.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

What a very good blog this is. All the articles.

I've just read The sociopathic traits of Gerry McCann (the next article down). Very interesting. I wouldn't be in the least surprised if it proved to be an accurate assessment of what actually happened.

Poe wrote:

Dee Coy wrote:

Andrew wrote:http://laidbareblog.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

What a very good blog this is. All the articles.

I've just read The sociopathic traits of Gerry McCann (the next article down). Very interesting. I wouldn't be in the least surprised if it proved to be an accurate assessment of what actually happened.

Was just reading that one as well.

Absolutely spot on imo.

The CPS have recovered most of the money defrauded by John Darwin (Canoe conman) and his wife, although it's taken 7 years to find it -

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/canoe-conman-john-darwin-wife-6080519

If the CPS can find most of their money I'm sure they'll be able to find the McCanns' money, if stashed away or not, whether it takes 7 years or 20 years, that's of course if the McCanns' Fund isn't genuine.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Canoe conman John Darwin and wife Anne left penniless after he faked his own death at sea

The Crown Prosecution Service revealed it had recovered the last £40,000 which he had gained from the deception

 
Canoe couple John and Anne Darwin have had the last of their assets seized - leaving them without a penny from his faked death at sea.
The Crown Prosecution Service revealed it had recovered the last £40,000 which he had gained from the deception.
Darwin, jailed in 2008 with Anne over the life insurance scam, was reported missing in a canoe in the sea off Seaton Carew in March 2002.
He lived in a room hidden behind a wardrobe in their home in Seaton Carew, Gateshead, for more than four years before they started a new life in Panama.
She appeared so devastated by the "loss" that she even fooled their two adult sons Anthony and Mark, who were unaware that their father was hiding in the couple's home.
In reality, she had collected hundreds of thousands of pounds in life insurance pay-outs.
But the last confiscation order against the couple brought in a payment of the last ill-gotten £40,000 from his pension pot.
The CPS has now obtained a total of £541,762 and 39 pence. The Darwins now have no known assets remaining for confiscation.
Nick Price, Head of Proceeds of Crime at the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "When John Darwin devised his plan to defraud insurance companies, he did not think he would get caught.
"But he also did not bank on the dedication and determination of my team to recover the money he stole, even seven years later.
"This case really shows that fraud does not pay."
He paid tribute to the North East Regional Asset Recovery Team for their hard work in recovering the money.
The Darwins netted more than £679,194.62 - more than one million dollars at the time of the fraud - from their cynical plan, and spent more than £130,000, which cannot be recovered.
After cashing in the mortgage and life insurance policies worth £250,820.75, Anne, 63, was able to keep hold of their property portfolio long enough to make a fortune from the housing boom.
With a little help from her husband she first moved the money through foreign exchange companies, then deposited into two back accounts on the Channel Islands before finally transferring it across to Panama where it remained out of reach of British authorities.
As well as cash in Panama the couple owned a £30,000 flat, a £200,000 derelict farmhouse and almost 500 acres of countryside they planned to convert into an eco-friendly hotel - not to mention a £23,000 Toyota Landcruiser.
Dad-of-two John, 65, also invested £25,000 in a run-down ranch in Kansas, bought during his Internet relationship with US housewife Kelly Steele.
All the other accounts in their names were emptied.
One with the Yorkshire Bank has just £2,300 left in it and two HSBC accounts contain a little over £600.
Had they been forced to sell their properties and cars at the time John Darwin vanished they would have barely had enough to pay off their debts.
After John's staged death, they doubled their money.
They are now divorced, with John vowing to return to Panama to begin a new life,after marrying a woman half his age, while Anne leads a quiet life in York, away from the public eye.

Thing is, the Darwins didn't have an army of lawyers, accountants and god knows what assisting them in 'covering there tracks'.