Frank Hanebuth: Former Hells Angels chief and 49 alleged collaborators appear in Spanish court | world news

A former leader of the Hells Angels in Europe faces 13 years in prison if convicted of leading a chapter of the motorcycle club linked to organized crime on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

German national Frank Hanebuth appeared in court alongside 49 alleged collaborators from numerous countries, at least 34 of whom accepted a plea deal allowing them to pay fines instead of serving their sentences.

Hanebuth did not seek agreement.

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Prosecutors are asking for a 13-year sentence for German national Frank Hanebuth. Photo: AP

Some of the defendants were of German, Greek or British origin and needed an interpreter to follow the developments, which were taking place in Spanish.

Three of the defendants participated via video link from Germany.

Spanish prosecutors charged Hanebuth with membership in a criminal organization, money laundering and illegal possession of firearms.

They are also asking the trial judge to fine him €4.2m (£3.7m) for money laundering.

In addition to belonging to a criminal organization, other defendants have been accused of running a prostitution and drug trafficking network, and face up to 38 years in prison.

The Hells Angels carried out illegal activities in Mallorca from 2009 to 2013 under the direction of Hanebuth, according to the indictment.

Hanebuth named members who then committed crimes including extortion, prostitution, acquiring illegal firearms and theft from popular tourist spots, prosecutors said.

They also moved into real estate in Mallorca and the neighboring island of Ibiza, prosecutors said.

It is believed that the Hells Angels in Europe chose Mallorca due to a large number of foreign residents and other money laundering and drug trafficking schemes.

Read more:
Hells Angels founding member Sonny Barger dies aged 83 after brief battle with cancer
Inside Britain’s biker feud between Hells Angels and Outlaws

Frank Hanebuth, President of the "Angels of Hell" chapter "north gate" in Hanover, attends the funeral of a late member of the biker group in Bonn, Germany April 26, 2019. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay
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The German attends the funeral of a deceased member of a biker group in Bonn, Germany, in 2019

The Mallorca chapter of the gang was heavily international, with recruits from as far away as the Dominican Republic and Morocco, according to the indictment.

One of the defendants who reached a plea deal was Paul Witworth, a British associate of Hanebuth who prosecutors say maintained ties to the Adams family, a notorious British gang also known as the Clerkenwell Crime Syndicate.

Hanebuth also tracked its German base in Hanover, prosecutors said.

The trial is expected to last several weeks.

malek

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