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Fake Intelligence Recruiter Arrested After Months Inside Madrid Army Barracks

Police say he acted for personal gratification, not for criminal or ideological goals.

Overview

  • The man was detained on September 25 and charged with usurpation of public functions, document falsification and illegal weapons possession.
  • Investigators say he gained access by cloning a real officer’s badge number with his own photo and carrying an airsoft pistol that looked real.
  • He presented himself as a recruiter, held informal interviews with soldiers and gathered résumés for purported intelligence roles.
  • Security staff flagged him in August over suspicious credentials, after which police confirmed the forged ID and opened a case.
  • EL PAÍS reports he is currently free pending trial, with police finding no links to organized crime or political motives and noting prior similar antecedents.