Pop star Ramoncín named as target in copyright fraud investigation

Spanish pop singer-songwriter José Ramón Márquez Martínez, better known as Ramoncín, has been named as a defendant in the High Court investigation into an alleged embezzlement and fraud scheme at the Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE), Spain’s largest copyright collection society.

Judge Pablo Ruz subpoenaed Ramoncín to testify on January 14. According to Civil Guard documents, the singer, known for his 1980s hits "Hormigón, mujeres y alcohol” and “Reina de la noche,” could be facing charges of illegal appropriation and falsification of documents.

The Civil Guard has investigated some 170,552 euros that were paid by the SGAE to Ramoncín and his recording company Jupiter Musical between 2004 and 2012.

“I appreciate your interest and I don’t want to be rude, but believe me I don’t have anything more to say than what I have been telling the media for so long,” the singer told EL PAÍS.

Ramoncín became famous in 1977 with his hit “El rey del pollo frito.”

The investigation was made public when authorities arrested former SGAE president Eduardo "Teddy" Bautista, and other directors on fraud charges in July 2011.