Cardama Filed Complaint in Vigo Over 200,000 Euros Paid for a Guarantee That Turned Out to Be Fake

The Spanish shipyard Cardama filed a complaint in the courts of Vigo seeking an investigation into Eurocommerce and other firms that, according to its version, took part in processing the performance bond required under its contract with the Uruguayan Ministry of Defense.

According to El País, the filing states that the guarantee issued for 4,113,500 euros turned out to be fake and that, between its issuance and its renewal, a total of 200,000 euros was paid. The document attributes the facts to possible crimes of fraud and document forgery.

According to the lawsuit, Cardama hired Forum Europe S.L. to find a financial institution that could provide the guarantee and negotiate the conditions required by the ministry. Still according to the text cited by El País, Forum subcontracted work to Star Allianz Consulting, although the shipyard’s point of contact at all times was the first company.

The complaint says Forum presented Eurocommerce as a suitable entity to issue the guarantee and that the agreement was formalized on October 15, 2024. Cardama says it paid Eurocommerce 123,405 euros, equivalent to 3% of the value of the instrument, in addition to other unspecified expenses. It also says it paid 30,000 euros to Forum for its intermediary work.

The filing adds that the annual renewal of the guarantee had a projected cost of 34,965 euros and that, already in September 2025, Cardama arranged an extension directly with Star Alliance Consulting. For that procedure, according to the complaint, it paid 43,460 euros.

Still according to El País, the conflict escalated when the Uruguayan government said in October 2025 that it had tried to enforce the guarantee and that the supposed financial institution had no representative or operating address in the United Kingdom. At the listed address, there was a real estate agency.

The court filing says Cardama requested explanations from Eurocommerce by email on October 25, 2025, and that on that same day it received a reply without a natural person’s signature. The reply rejected the alleged insolvency of the firm, although, according to the complaint, the validity of its registration to operate was not proven. On November 7, it again summoned the company to clarify the situation before the Ministry of Defense, but received no further responses.

Among the people whose conduct it asks to investigate, the complaint mentions Juan Carrasco Martínez, for Forum Europe; Alex Walsh, for Eurocommerce; and Nicolás Salmón, for Star Alliance Consulting. It also asks to examine the link and origin of the commercial relations between the companies involved.

El País recalled that the Uruguayan government terminated the contract with the shipyard in February this year after confirming that the guarantee was fake. It also reported that the renewal sent one hour before the October 22, 2025 press conference was also deemed forged by the Executive Branch.

In parallel with this lawsuit in Spain, other offshoots of the case remain open. The Executive Branch filed a court action that is being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office, the opposition filed a criminal complaint against Defense Minister Sandra Lazo and two advisers, and the shipyard also went to the Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce.

Sources

• El País Uruguay

About this note. Written by El Notero with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this event.