For the second time in his colourful career, Mr Jesus Gily Gil (65), mayor of the Costa del Sol resort of Marbella, has been confined to a prison cell, writes Jane Walker in Madrid. An anti-corruption judge this week ordered Mr Gil's detention on charges of defrauding about 450 million pesetas (£2.25 million) by siphoning municipal funds into the accounts of Atletico de Madrid, the football club of which he is president.
Police are also investigating a further 80 corruption charges against him.
Over two decades, Mr Gil has repeatedly found his way into the pages of the Spanish press as well as the civil and criminal courts. He first hit the headlines more than 20 years ago when a restaurant complex built by one of his companies collapsed, causing 58 deaths and many injuries.
He was found guilty of criminal negligence and sentenced to 10 years, but was later pardoned by Gen Franco after only 18 months in jail. Last year he showed his belated gratitude, angering many of his fellow Marbellans, by erecting a statue of the late dictator in the town hall. In 1996 UEFA suspended him temporarily as president of Atletico de Madrid for describing a French referee as a homosexual. Only months later he was involved in a public punch-up with the president of another soccer club. There were also numerous incidents of on-camera insults in which he slandered politicians, referees and the judiciary.
Mr Gil owns many properties in Marbella, and runs the resort (resident population 98,000) from his private company offices, rather than the town hall. But the writing has been on the wall for some time, and Mr Gil's days as "King of Marbella" seem to be numbered. He faces more than 80 accusations from the regional government of Andalucia of violating planning regulations by selling off green-belt land and public parks for private development.
In spite of the high-income population, with luxury villas selling for up to £5 million, Marbella's coffers are said to be empty.