The Arab sheikhs' massive parties in Spain: the alleged rape of Penélope H.

As we've been reporting at elcierredigital.com, the Catalan coast has become one of the strategic jewels of the Mediterranean for the monarchies of the Persian Gulf. What began as a one-off investment in the Tarragona marina has turned into a web of intersecting interests. A network involving Arab sovereign funds, the Emeritus King, and key figures in Catalan sports and business.

While megayachts like the Emir of Qatar's anchor in Tarragona waters where they hold lavish parties, million-euro operations, unofficial diplomacy, and a growing real estate presence are taking place behind the scenes.

Not everything surrounding the sheikhs and Gulf magnates in Spain has brought good news. During their frequent visits to the country, especially in the summer season, some emirs, businessmen, and members of Arab royal families organize private parties. At these events, it is common to hire companionship services, often made up of professional models.

However, in some cases allegations of abusive behavior, including sexual violence, have surfaced. One of these testimonies is that of Penélope H., a young model who agreed to share her experience with elcierredigital.com.

The Spanish-German model Penélope H., 35 years old, has been living a nightmare since the summer of 2008. At that time, she was allegedly sexually abused in Ibiza by one of the sheikhs who is part of the Saudi royal family. According to her, it was the Arab sheikh[Alwaleed Bin Talal], one of the close friends of the Emeritus King Juan Carlos I. Back then, the top model was 20 years old and was one of the great promises of international fashion. She had worked in renowned fashion "meccas" such as New York, Milan, or London.

The Spanish-German model was very well known at the time. She had collaborated with United Colors of Benetton or GAP and participated in several contests. She was the main face of features for fashion magazines such as Vogue, Telva, Lucía se Casa, or Glamour. "I started in the fashion world at two years old. Although my mother had been a very important model, her profession didn't instill in me the desire to dedicate myself to this job. I was discovered by a photographer when I was just two years old because I was very blonde, very pretty. My parents always dressed me in the latest fashion, I attracted attention," says Penélope to elcierredigital.com.

After the ordeal in Ibiza following the alleged incident,  she reported at the time the lack of interest in thoroughly investigating the truth of what happened. The case was indirectly influenced by the Urdangarin case. The lawyer for the model allegedly raped by the Saudi magnate stated in his brief that no one wanted to investigate these relationships – through a Saudi-capital real estate company – between the Spanish and Saudi royal families, which elcierredigital.com reveals in this publication.

Chronology of events

The hell experienced by the Spanish-German model Penélope H. began in August 2008. "I was 20 years old and traveled to Ibiza because I was invited by a friend I met while working in Milan. I didn't know the island and my friend told me: 'come with me and my boyfriend for a day, it's our last days here. We'll meet at the Space nightclub.' I had a great time with her, but it was a shame because their flights were moved up and they returned to Madrid the next day. I was left alone on the island," says Penélope to elcierredigital.com.

"I had to go to a hostel and, although I knew people, they weren't really my friends," says the model to elcierredigital.com. "I found a hotel and I felt super vulnerable and innocent. I didn't really know what Ibiza was," Penélope clarifies. "I felt very alone and when I spoke to my mother I told her I didn't know what to do, whether to go back. But she thought of coming with the rest of the family, since they didn't have vacation plans yet. So my mother, my stepfather, and my three siblings came. They stayed at the same hostel as me and we went to see the port," says Penélope.

While they were walking around the port, a young man approached Penélope and spoke to her in English: "Don't fall into the water," or something like that. But I noticed from his accent that it wasn't his language, so I asked if he was Spanish. He said yes, and I replied that we could speak in Spanish," Penélope tells elcierredigital.com.

"I thought he wanted to flirt with me. He was the driver for these people. We exchanged phone numbers, but I was with my family, I had a different mindset, and I wasn't very interested in guys. He suggested we could meet up one day and I told him I was going to be with my family. In fact, I later told my mother because he was quite a bit older than me. A few days later, he wrote to tell me that the Saudi royal family was going to throw a party and that he wanted to invite me. I let him know that I didn't have clothes to attend such a high-level party. But he downplayed it and told me that the girls, supposedly princesses, would accompany me and buy me whatever I needed. Later I found out they were escorts," Penélope adds. 

"I was quite surprised because at that time I was working and had money, but the guy kept insisting and insisting. At first, I told him I couldn't. But when he suggested going to the Salinas area during the day, I hesitated and my mother wanted to talk to him on the phone. He assured her that everything would be fine and that she shouldn't worry. He came to pick me up in an armored Mercedes, at that moment I didn't know he was one of the drivers, so I just thought he was a guy with money. We went to Las Salinas, had lunch with some friends... everything was idyllic," says Penélope in conversation with elcierredigital.com. 

"It did catch my attention when he told me he had to go to the port for work. There was the sheikh[Alwaleed Bin Talal], who noticed me. He asked me to get on his yacht, but I didn't want to go up alone, I preferred the driver to come with me. I finally went up, introduced myself, and took off my sandals. The girls who were supposedly princesses were there, I exchanged phone numbers with them and that was it. But when I was there, something really caught my attention. One of the boat's waitresses got the wrong glass and they threw it in her face. They started speaking in Arabic, although I didn't understand because I don't speak that language. At that moment I started to realize where I was and the situation I was in," says Penélope.

"I remember we went up to the top of the yacht, where there was a mini jacuzzi. He offered me champagne and told me he could give me anything I wanted. He became violent because he wanted to show me the stars and I didn't want to. So I ended up throwing him into the jacuzzi with all his things... he started speaking Arabic and from the way it sounded, it was anything but nice. I wanted to leave and the guy who was supposedly the driver told me: 'do you know what you've just done?'. I didn't care, I didn't want to see the stars. I left." 

"I told my mother what had happened and, coincidentally, the next day the princesses wrote to me assuring me that I shouldn't worry. I met up with them and had a good time. The next day my mother was leaving Ibiza and before she left she asked me to be careful. When we went out I was wearing a very short pink outfit, and I was surprised at how the supposed princesses were dressed for the party. Because they showed cleavage, jeans... and with them I went to the Divino nightclub, which is now Lío Ibiza." 

"The scene was nightmarish"

"Whenever I go out, I always pay attention to how they serve drinks, how they set them up and what they put in them. But at that moment the drug was already in the bottle. I drank a little and started to feel dizzy, I wasn't feeling well. I wrote to a lot of people, but no one answered. I was in the VIP area and I remember going down to the lower part and one of the security men told me I had to go back to the VIP area. I realized they had everyone bought off. The girls didn't want to help me either, I didn't know which port I was at and I was very scared. They told me we were going to a boat and I didn't want to go. They forced me to get on and made me turn off both of my phones. They became very aggressive with me and I realized they were girls who recruited other girls." 

"I didn't know where I was, I just remember getting into an elevator and seeing a nightmarish scene. It was chaos. Naked girls dancing, all the drugs you can imagine, I wanted to get out of there... I didn't like that environment. That night was when I was raped. I hadn't had sexual relations with any guy yet. I remember waking up to a kiss from the sheikh, who abused me. I grabbed my things and tried to leave, but the door was locked and I couldn't open it." 

"I was crying and they offered me drugs, which I refused. One of the girls told me that everything I had seen that night I couldn't tell anyone. Because if I did, there would be consequences. She literally told me that if I told anyone, my family and I would be dead. I remember I found a Spanish girl who at the time was dating a fairly famous Arab singer, but she couldn't help me." 

"It was at that moment that I managed to escape, but I ran into another of the Arabs who were there and he wanted to take me to his suite. Another one arrived and said: "this one is ours." I managed to leave and there was a driver waiting for me who wanted to take me home, although I told him to take me to the port. He told me no, because the next day they would come for me again. It was strange because he asked me a lot of questions and said: "Did they hurt you a lot?" That's when I realized there must have been many girls who had gone through the same thing as me." 

"I had a lot of pain inside me and wanted to end my life. In fact, I ended up taking a bottle of pills. It was hard for me to tell my mother what had happened to me. Actually, I did it because a friend forced me to. My mother quickly took a flight and we went to report it. At the hospital, they told me that because of the high amount of drugs in my body, I could have died. Later we went to the forensic doctor and he wasn't very nice to us," explains Penélope H. to Elcierredigital.com. 

"The case was closed"

"That happened in 2008 and I've had a very, very hard time. In 2013 the media announced there was a trial, but that's a lie, I stress that it's a lie. I've never been called to testify in any trial. I have to pay the costs of a trial that never took place," she says to elcierredigital.com.

At that time, the attorney Maximino Turiel Ibáñez, lawyer for the model Penélope H., allegedlyraped in Ibiza, according to her, by the Saudi magnate[Al Waleed Bin Talal] on the Turama yacht during the early hours of August 12, 2008, through vaginal penetration with ejaculation, after induced ingestion of sedative and intoxicating substances – as stated in the complaint filed at the time in the Investigative Court No. 3 of Ibiza and which was closed –, reported at the time that neither Judge José Castro nor the anti-corruption prosecutors of Mallorca wanted to thoroughly investigate the whole truth of what happened, which indirectly affected the Urdangarin case.

Both the model and her mother tried unsuccessfully to join the Noós case on the activities of the son-in-law of the King of Spain as private and popular prosecution. Although they even appealed this judicial decision before the Provincial Court of Mallorca.

In her petition to join as prosecution, which is in the possession of elcierredigital.com, the model's lawyer was clear. He stated verbatim that "the case against Mr. Urdangarin doesn't seem to want to reach the whole truth and that passivity harms the interests of our client. Since if the matter is pursued to its ultimate consequences, the victim would obtain the necessary evidence to reopen her case. However, if the Investigating Judge and the Prosecutor's Office push the investigation, we will withdraw"

A scathing indictment

According to the model's defense, "the company Aizoon, owned by Mr. Don Ignacio Urdangarin and his wife (Cristina de Borbón), owns at least 0.09 (original: 0.09) percent of the share capital of another company called Mixta África in which Mr. Al Waleed Bin Talal, reported in Ibiza by our client, owns 30%. Through his own company, the Kingdom Holding Company (...) Between 2006 and 2009, Aizoon SL received about 400,000 euros from Mixta África for real estate consulting and in 2007 acquired shares of Mixta África for 150,001 euros. It receives money from Mixta África and, with less than what it earns in its operations, buys 0.09% (original: 0.09%) of that same entity (...). This data is verified, it's real, and the Court and the Prosecutor's Office know it. (...) If the matter of Mixta África is thoroughly investigated, facts will emerge that will support our client's version. That is undeniable. And for that, if neither the Investigating Judge nor the Prosecutor's Office push the investigation, a Private Prosecution must do so. Based on this data, we believe it is likely and maintain that our client may see all her expectations of obtaining justice cut off. Due to intolerable interference from political and economic power. That the investigation and the prosecutor's office seem to want to avoid, allegedly, an investigation that would crucify untouchable members of the Spanish and Saudi Royal Houses".

Thus, the relationship of Iñaki Urdangarin with this Saudi-capital real estate company was clear. The company was once chaired in Spain by former PP minister Josep Piqué. The relationship with the Saudi sheikhs, friends of King Juan Carlos, with whom he still keeps a close personal relationship, was also reflected.

The lawyer for the model allegedly raped in Ibiza by the Saudi magnate Al Waleed stated in his brief that no one wanted to investigate these relationships between the Spanish and Saudi royal families. He stated before the Investigative Court No. 3 of Palma de Mallorca that "the harm[to the model]derives from the lack of investigation regarding Mixta África. The lack of investigation in Ibiza doesn't hold up and seems to be due to political arrangements. The lack of investigation of relevant facts in the Noos Case, which could uncover thorny issues related to royal families, neither does".

The petition to join as prosecution before the Palma court in the Urdangarin case was based on these details, which elcierredigital.com exclusively reports today:

"1.- Shortly after the provisional closure in Ibiza, H.M. the King congratulates the previously indicted, denying knowing him personally. This fact is denied by Mr. Al Waleed's own office. That former defendant had asked him for help. The closure is provisional and the congratulation is incomprehensible, unless there are unknown pressures. He even recommends some lawyers, or others, of the type described "ut supra".

2.- We obtain information that the Spanish secret services knew about the rape case from the beginning. We relate it to the lack of impetus in the investigation.

3.- We obtain information that Mr. Alwaleed, in addition to asking for help, pressured the highest authorities of the nation for the case to be closed or there would be direct consequences on the AVE contract between Medina and Mecca.

4.- We obtain information that the company Aizoon, owned by Mr. Urdangarin and his wife, is in turn the owner of at least 0.09 (original: 0.09) percent of the share capital of another company called Mixta África in which Mr. Al Waleed Bin Talal through Kingdom Holding owns 30% (original: 30%).

5.- We obtain information that the Ibiza case, the Urdangarin case, the relationships of the royal families, the AVE, and Mixta África are related. The closure is due to political reasons.

6.- We obtain information that Mr. Alwaleed and Mr. Urdangarin allegedly share lawyers whose fist always holds a rose sub rosa: They don't wear lawyer's robes, but they control the cuffs. The secret is always under the rose".

After the case was closed, "my mother wrote to Queen Sofía and she did everything possible to help us. But King Juan Carlos I, meanwhile, did everything possible to have the case closed quickly. All because of the bonds of friendship that unite him with [Alwaleed bin Talal], the man who raped me," says Penelope to elcierredigital.com.

"I felt very ashamed and very bad. I had to seek psychological help. Although I've kept working, I've even been boycotted. So I went to Brazil, to New York... I had to find a way to survive. I've been very afraid because their idea wasn't to let me 'go free', but to take me out of the country and take me somewhere else where my family wouldn't know where I was. They often have diplomatic immunity and don't care. I was lucky to be able to escape, but many other girls weren't so lucky. I remember in 2016 I ran into him at a resort in Cancun because I was with my family and I had to face the situation of seeing him again with guns, bodyguards..."

"Many agencies are aware of the situation"

"I suffered a lot and many doors have been closed to me. All because I was abused by a high-ranking member of the Arab royal family. I live in fear that something might happen to me or my family. My parents have had to deal with the fact that this happened to their daughter. In fact, my mother was even told that there was a tape with recordings from that night. They offered it to her for one million euros," says Penélope.

Penélope tells elcierredigital.com that "on many occasions modeling agencies turn a deaf ear and a blind eye. Or they wash their hands when situations like this occur. They even cover it up. That's horrific." She states that some "are aware of everything that happens and if they get a commission, then so be it. They don't think about the consequences that an experience like that can bring... That they could be raped or killed, that from having so much sex, they could suffer physical consequences. It's horrific, but these kinds of networks exist". 

"I remember that, when I started working, I went to an audition at the Radio ME hotel in Madrid, which used to be the Reina Victoria. There were about 40 or 50 girls there, all very nervous. They asked me to come dressed for the evening and to sing. They paid 10,000 euros for a week of work on a paradise island. Up to that point, maybe it was normal, but later I found out that the audition was to be part of a group of girls who would work as slaves for an Arab sheikh. In fact, I remember a girl told me that one of the girls who went there suffered physical harm," says Penélope.