Operation Babel. Elad Dror says the 50 thousand euros he gave to Malafaia were not for corruption

The founder of the Fortera group, Elad Dror, a defendant in the Babel case, said this Wednesday that he gave 50 thousand euros to businessman Paulo Malafaia, also a defendant, to help him with a real estate project in Gaia and not to corrupt anyone in that chamber.

In the 17th session of the trial of the case related to the alleged violation of rules and instruction of urban licensing processes in Gaia City Council, taking place in the local court, Elad Dror revealed that he asked for help from that real estate developer after the local authority raised problems with the Riverside project.

According to the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP), businessmen Elad Dror and Paulo Malafaia “agreed between themselves to develop real estate projects in the city of Vila Nova de Gaia, namely the so-called Skyline/Centro Cultural e de Congressos, Riverside and Hotel Azul”, counting on the alleged favoritism on the part of the former vice-president of the city council Patrocínio Azevedo who would receive, in exchange, money and watches.

The MP also claims that lawyer João Pedro Lopes , also a defendant in this case, was the bridge between Paulo Malafaia and Elad Dror and Patrocínio Azevedo .

The defendant revealed that the 50 thousand euros were handed over to Paulo Malafaia in 2021 in cash, in three installments, and not twice as the prosecution claims, and without issuing an invoice.

Elad Dror stressed that he tried, on several occasions, to get Paulo Malafaia to issue him an invoice for that amount , but without success.

When asked by the judge why he asked Paulo Malafaia for help, the founder of the Fortera group said that he was Portuguese, more efficient and closer to the council, so he thought they would respect him more than him.

As for whether he was surprised that the businessman asked him for money in cash and without issuing an invoice, Elad Dror highlighted that there could be many reasons, from not wanting to pay VAT, having the account blocked or wanting to keep the money for personal reasons.

“But could it be to pay someone at Gaia City Council?” , asked the magistrate.

“No, no. For me there are red lines, we don’t do illegal things. You don’t ask for an invoice from someone you’ve just corrupted and, furthermore, I didn’t hide it from my company and my partners,” he replied.

Regarding the offer of watches to the former vice-president of the Gaia City Council, Elad Dror stressed that he had agreed to participate , together with Paulo Malafaia and lawyer João Pedro Lopes, in the purchase of two watches , and not three as stated in the indictment, at a value of 3,000 euros each.

“Paulo Malafaia told me that he was going, together with João Pedro Lopes, to offer a watch to the vice-president and if he was willing to participate and, thus, divide the costs between the three of them”, he reported.

Elad Dror revealed that he accepted because he didn't want to be “rude or seem cheap.”