Micheline Roquebrune, the 91-year-old widow of late actor Sean Connery, has dismissed the claims that she faces a £21 million fine over alleged tax fraud in Spain, stating that the claim is nonsense.
Roquebrune denies being involved in a scam over the sale of the couple's home in Marbella, in a case that saw the "James Bond" star Connery's lawyers imprisoned in 2016.
Roquebrune denies scam
Connery's widow revealed that the actor's ashes are to be scattered in the country of his birth, and that was when the allegation surfaced, according to New York Post.
The actor was born in Edinburgh and had "Scotland Forever" tattooed on his arm when he was a young sailor. Connery passed away last week; he was 90-years-old.
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Roquebrune said that even though the actor had lived abroad for many years, his final wish was to return to his Scotland place of birth. Roquebrune said Connery is to be cremated at a private service in the Bahamas, and some of the actor's ashes will be scattered there. The rest of his ashes will be taken to Scotland when the pandemic restrictions are eased.
Sir Sean Connery battled dementia in his final years and has passed away peacefully in his sleep with his wife and his close family around him. However, Spanish authorities have insisted that the scam case has not gone away, according to Fox News.
The Spanish authorities intent to notify Roquebrune of the indictment so a trial can occur, but the authorities have not received any replies yet.
In 2014, Connery was told that he would not face trial to sell their home in 1999. It was demolished to make way for 70 flats despite rules saying only five flats could be built. However, the mayor of Marbella and six councilors were imprisoned for the scam, as well as Connery's lawyers.
A judge decided that Roquebrune should face trial, and she could face a massive fine if she is found guilty of tax fraud. The case came after a long-running investigation, which officials had named Operation Goldfinger after one of Connery's famous "James Bond" films.
According to allegations, Roquebrune teamed up with lawyers and businessmen to hide the profits from the sale of the flats. Roquebrune has since denied the claims, according to The Guardian.
Prosecutors had claimed that Connery's widow was connected to a Spanish company that had planned to defraud the Spanish treasury of almost £5.5m through "fictitious legal transactions." But Roquebrune has dismissed the allegations and called them nonsense.
Paying tribute to Connery
Earlier this week, Roquebrune revealed how her late husband would return home. Last week, she was at the couple's luxury home at Lyford Cay, Nassau, and she said that they are going to bring Connery back to Scotland as that was his final wish. He wanted his ashes to be scattered in the Bahamas and also in Scotland.
The 91-year-old Moroccan-French painter was married to Connery for almost half a century. She intends to carry out his wishes at the earliest opportunity.
Roquebrune said that as soon as it is safe to travel again and when the pandemic restrictions are eased, then it is when the family will fly back to Scotland and scatter his remaining ashes. They are planning to organize a memorial service for the Connery in Scotland, but they can't say when it will happen.
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