SGAE investigated over "misappropriation of funds"

Spanish collecting society SGAE has featured in this weblog a couple of times. The Court of Justice ruling in Case C‑467/08, Padawan SL v Sociedad General de Autores y Editores de España (SGAE) has given quite considerable food for thought, and there's also the matter of the organisation's local battle with EXGAE.  It now seems that SGAE has been hitting the headlines again -- and not for the best of reasons.

Billboard reports that the organisation has been raided by Spanish police as part of an investigation of "misappropriation of funds".  Nine people, including president of SGAE's Board of Directors Eduardo Bautista, were detained, while offices and private homes were searched.  The investigation is said to have been triggered by a 2007 complaint filed by a number of organisations representing internet, computer and the restaurant trade; the main target is said to be SGAE's subsidiary SDAE -- the Digital Society of Authors.

Thanks, Jonathan D. C. Turner (13 Old Square), for spotting this item.