CASH FEAR Madeleine McCann’s parents risk losing large chunk of search fund to former cop

CASH FEAR Madeleine McCann’s parents risk losing large chunk of search fund to former cop

   Isaac Crowson

   23:53, 16 Apr 2022Updated: 23:53, 16 Apr 2022

MADELEINE McCann’s parents risk losing a large chunk of funds set aside to continue the search for her — to a former cop.

Gerry and Kate McCann are locked in a 13-year legal fight with Portuguese ex-detective Goncalo Amaral over a book he wrote on the case.

They are appealing to the European Court of Human Rights after Portugal’s highest court threw out their libel claim against Amaral, who implicated them in their daughter’s disappearance.

Another court loss could eat hugely into their Maddie Fund, which has a balance of £931,500.

The Sun On Sunday revealed last month that Scotland Yard is winding down its investigation.

Kate and Gerry, both 54, of Rothley, Leics, will then need the fund to maintain their own probe.

Madeleine vanished, aged three, from an Algarve holiday apartment in 2007.

A source close to the family said: “If Gerry and Kate lose their appeal, there will be damages to pay and a big legal costs bill.

"It’s left them feeling a bit on tenterhooks.”

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/18286694/madeleine-mccann-search-fund-former-cop/
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And that's it?

 

'Another court loss could eat hugely into their Maddie Fund, which has a balance of £931,500.'


'A source close to the family said: “If Gerry and Kate lose their appeal, there will be damages to pay and a big legal costs bill.'
 
Oops! Must be time to change the 'Objects' clause in the company's Membership & Arts back to the original then.
 
Objects
 
2B       The objects of the Foundation are
 
            2B 1 1             To secure the safe return to her family of Madeleine McCann who was abducted in Praia da Luz, Portugal on Thursday 3rd May 2007; and
 
            2B 1 2             To procure that Madeleine's abduction is thoroughly investigated and that her abductors, as well as those who played or play any part in assisting them, are identified and                 brought to justice
 
            2B 2                If the above objects are fulfilled then the objects of the Foundation shall be to pursue such purposes in similar cases arising in the United   Kingdom, Portugal or                                               elsewhere.
 
…………………………………………..
 
This bit:
 
            3 1 3 To provide support, including financial assistance, to Madeleine's family; 
 
was dropped off in an amendment filed at Companies House 17^th December 2011, (although never changed on the Madeleine’s Fund page), presumably to try and keep the funds rolling in and create the impression that any donations weren't just to bankroll the Mc's, so as it stands, if they were to use the money as suggested the company directors would be acting ‘ultra vires’ (not that anybody seems to care much about enforcing  Company Law nowadays).
 
Just as easy to change it back though when the Mc’s and their mates are all of the directors.
 
And as for the ‘to ensure the highest standards of  transparency and accountability’ and all the promises that the monies would not be used to pay their legal costs etc, etc………….
 
All gone out the window long ago.
  

Hold on there, to quote Kate McCann back in 2007, "We will sell the house if it's necessary".  

The fund is made up of donations from the public and their benefactors to "find Madeleine", not to pay their legal costs.

The majority of the fund is not being used for it's objective of finding Madeleine, it is tied up in investments.

Is the begging bowl doing the rounds again?  

NO Kate, NO Gerry, time to sell up, pay Mr Amaral and your legal fees, give the fund it's cash back and employ a credible firm of PI's to look for your daughter, quietly and without feeding nonsense to the press. That is if you really believe that she is out there and can be found.  Otherwise, do the right thing and transfer these public funds to a cause to find other missing children, and I don't mean Missing People, ICMEC, NMEC or Action Against Abduction (formerly PACT)

Didn't they 'squirrel away' quite a lot from the Fund into investments some time ago. No doubt they hope those will have been quietly forgotten about as people concentrate on the Current Account.

I'm wondering what's in store for two weeks+.

An indiscreet silence, more sob stories or another round of tales of the unexpected?

This really should see the end of the farce.

Hark! Hark! The fat lady singeth ....

I don't believe even the most ardent McCann supporter would give a single cent more to the questionable Find Madeleine Co Ltd.

PeterMac:
 
‘Didn't they 'squirrel away' quite a lot from the Fund into investments some time ago. No doubt they hope those will have been quietly forgotten about as people concentrate on the Current Account.’
 
No. It’s still in ‘the fund’. They just moved ‘investments’ into Fixed rather than Current Assets. £931k is the total available from the 2021 accounts.
 
https://jillhavern.forumotion.net/t15163p100-the-find-madeleine-fund#448626







From Peter Mac
Thanks for the clarification

How much of the fund is likely to be used to pay Mr Amaral?

Aren't there restricted funds included?

What are the restrictions for? Surely they cannot pay legal costs out of these unless that is what the restricted funds were meant for.

I am not entirely sure that the ECHR case will do anything except cost them their own legal fees,
UNLESS there are outstanding damages and costs to Dr Amaral, which have been 'frozen' pending the outcome.
I doubt that, since the ECHR case is a 'legal 'frolic' independent of the rulings in the Portuguese courts.

But the gutter press are still saying that the case is against Dr Amaral, not against Portugal
so with that level of blithering idiocy they are unlikely to be able to understand legal procedures.

I think PeterMac is correct in his basic understanding, but I don't believe that the legal costs going back years, for either side, have been settled, pending this outcome and are likely to be astronomical.

From memory, there was a ruling about costs in the transcript after the last court case, but that was put on hold pending this final appeal, as if 'Portugal' are found to be in the wrong, that would presumably invalidate the Portuguese Court's ruling and they would have to go back and look at it again.

............................................... 

The 'restricted funds' was just a token gesture to try and legitimise and separate the book monies from the public donation and merchandising money, currently standing at £634k out of total fund value of £931k as at March 2021. 

Introduced in year ending March 2012, with £550k 'donated for the direct costs of the search for and the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine', £400k was added in y/e 2014, £86k y/e 2018, £3.7k y/e 2019 (£9946 received for book income, presumably less direct expenses although it doesn't say so), £1.3k y/e 2020 (£6543 less 'search fees' £5193 - this is stated),  £2.4k y/e 2021 (£2712 less 'search fees' £260).

Unfortunately at the end of the day, the Mc's and their mates, being the only and therefore controlling directors can do pretty much what they like with all of the money in the fund, change the Mem & Arts at will (if they can even be bothered to do so) and there is nobody to hold them to account for their actions and previous promises.

Can you see an 'Olive Oil' article slating them for breaking promises and squandering all of the money on legal costs etc? I don't think so. Spin it round into a sob story more like.

The News of the World got away with giving their donation money to the fund, completely against the stated terms of the public subscription and there is basically nothing that Joe Public can do.

The European Court of Human Rights

Gerald and Kate McCann (nee Healy) vs. The State of Portugal

Yet another fundamental (think about it   ) misunderstanding, 'interpretation', of a subject beyond the boundaries of common knowledge.

Using the basics as a working tool, the key is in those two words .... 'Human Rights'.  So, we can start by asking exactly how the McCanns human rights have been violated, leading to an application to the ECHR for a hearing?

Was it because the Portuguese police suspected them of involvement with the disappearance of their own daughter, Madeleine?  A suspicion backed by strong evidence?  A suspicion they were allowed to escape by fleeing Portugal within hours of being named 'arguidos?  Never to return, with the exception of a Lisbon court appearance attempting to destroy the life of a fellow human being - Dr Gonçalo Amaral!

Or is it because the nasty greedy wicked Portuguese case coordinator, who was removed from the case by the British authorities influence, dared publish a book in his own name, detailing the Portuguese police investigation.  Information already in the public domain.

Careful what you wish for, it could come back and bite you on the bum.

The fund itself is administered under the guise of a limited company - that gives the board freedom of movement without public consultation.  Transparency and morality are only words, as can be illustrated by the government's laissez-faire approach to public administration.

If it can be proven that the fund was initially established fraudulently then and only then is there a case to answer.  Everything points in that direction but being able to prove the fund is dodgy will be very difficult, if not impossible.

I don't doubt there have been cases put before the ECHR over the years that could marginally exemplify the McCanns case against the country of Portugal but realistically - what chance do they have?

And then there is the press to consider ....

Countdown, if you think 3rd May to be a notional disappearance day, only two weeks away from the next anniversary - for there will be a next, be it very quiet or be it very noisy.



The gravy train's run out of steam.

They only need to whine a bit and their not too bright supporters will crowd fund their ' tireless search'.

CaKeLoveR wrote:They only need to whine a bit and their not too bright supporters will crowd fund their ' tireless search'.

Waiting for Pamela starting petitions 

Quite possibly!

As Madeleine has 100% been Abducted and Murdered by the ‘Prime Suspect’ according to Herr Wolters.

Who is going to donate to a Search fund, now that the German government is paying for everything?

Not too bright people indeed…