Original subtitles

THIS FILM IS BASED ON TRUE EVENTS

FOR LEGAL PURPOSES, MANY OF THE CHARACTERS ARE FICTIONAL

ANY RESEMBLANCE TO REAL PEOPLE OR EVENTS IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL

FUCKING COINCIDENTAL

My name is Iván Márquez.

I was born in Vallecas, and I turned 30 a few days ago.

What's a guy from Vallecas

doing in a container shipped from Spain to Hong Kong

carrying 1.55 billion euros?

1.55 billion.

And my commission as the courier was 3%.

You know what 3% of all that fucking money is?

That was back in 2010, the high point of my life.

Life can be wonderful.

But there's always someone looking to fuck you over.

THE COURIER

Hello.

Thank you.

VALLECAS FOOTBALL FIELD

NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT UNDER CONSTRUCTION

WE GREEN-LIGHT YOUR DREAMS EASY/FAST/SAFE - EURIBOR +0.75%

Argentinians, whose buying power is in decline...

You think these motherfuckers are gonna compensate anyone? Huh?

You'll see. Don't count on it.

Meanwhile, the State...

What's up?

Well, look who's here.

The big kahuna.

Individuals and small businesses survived by evading taxes...

- Hi, son. How was your day? - Great.

- Really? - Yeah, I made 1,000 pesetas in tips.

Great.

- But you could've earned that here too. - Don't start.

The latest measure...

Your father misses you.

Of course they have to steal at supermarkets. No kidding.

I know.

But I have my own plans.

I know. That's what hurts him the most.

There was a time when my father was my hero.

I'll never forget the day I joined him to ask for a loan

to open the wedding and banquet venue he'd always dreamt about.

That was back in '92.

Yeah, the year of the Barcelona Olympics and the Seville Expo.

That was a year of plenty.

Chorizos and pork rinds. Our house wine?

And my father made the most of it.

But then came the years of want.

The economic recession of '93.

A national debt of 30 trillion pesetas.

An unemployment rate of 25%.

Let the cops come, for fuck's sake!

Put me in handcuffs!

This is bullshit! Fucking bullshit!

His only option is to bow out gracefully.

Look at him. Look.

Resign, Mr. González.

A bunch of crooks.

Look at them. All they do is steal.

They're thieves, damn it. Thieves.

They take office, steal,

fill their pockets, and then do it again.

Sons of bitches.

And do not deny Spain its opportunity.

- Here's the business plan of the year. - Here we go again.

Listen, we buy a dilapidated apartment.

We remodel it. Who's going to do it?

- You and your cousin do construction. - Come on.

Once it's remodeled,

we resell it and split the profits between us.

- You're nuts. - Why?

- Yeah, man. You and your schemes. - Have you seen the prices?

They're skyrocketing. It's guaranteed profit.

Where do we get the cash from? Tell me.

The banks.

- Just like that. - Yes. They're giving loans to anyone.

I don't know, dude.

- I don't want trouble, Iván. - Me either.

- Guys, how much is 50 euros? - Let me see.

- I'll pay in pesetas. I still have a few. - It's ten euros each.

Or 1,660 pesetas.

We're getting screwed.

2002, the year we went from the peseta to the euro.

Easily one of the biggest rip-offs in history.

Hey, check out Mr. Linares. He's hammered.

You know him?

That guy? He's in Brussels, a member of parliament.

I was never the brightest kid in class, but sometimes I come up with ideas.

I'll handle it.

Give me the key, kid. Give it to me.

- Would you like me to call you a taxi? - A taxi?

I'm perfectly fine.

Hurry up, I've gotta be in Brussels by 9:00 a.m.

I can drive you to the airport.

The airport? But...

- Careful. - I haven't been on a plane in 20 years.

You can't drive like this. Come on.

Up you go. There you go.

Give me the key.

Look, for 300 euros, I'll drive you to Brussels myself.

If we make it in time for me to take a shower,

I'll make it €500.

Deal.

BRUSSELS

You're late.

I know. I'm sorry.

- Who's that? - No one.

You're always late. This is the last time, all right?

Come in!

Here you go.

Why €300? I drove here at 110 mph.

Because I didn't have time to take a shower, did I?

All right. Catch a bus and get the fuck out of here.

You know that moment in life when everything can change forever?

Well, that was mine.

That guy is a mess.

Look, I don't know what sort of business you're into, but...

I could do it a lot better.

Did you know he's stealing from you?

Are you sure?

100%.

Wait here.

He's right.

He's stealing from us.

You were right.

- What's your name? - Iván Márquez.

What do you do?

I'm a good driver.

And I'm trustworthy.

Unlike that bastard.

Want to make 10,000 euros?

Of course.

That bastard Linares was a fucking mess.

And I'm a pretty nosy guy.

And I love money.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

Happy birthday, sweetie.

- Do you like it? - I love it.

Hey...

Hello.

How long have you been working for Anne?

This is my first trip.

Carabanchel.

- Vallecas. - Yeah, Vallecas.

My first business was a copy center in Puente de Vallecas.

A copy center isn't bad business.

Not if you're smart.

Look, in '95,

a journalist came into the shop.

He had a dossier to photocopy.

I saw what it was about but didn't say anything.

That afternoon,

I went to see the city planning councilor,

and told him what was coming his way.

The guy was stunned.

He didn't know me at all, but there I was,

giving him information that could save his ass.

That's how I earned his trust.

All these people you see here,

they all trust me.

Because trust is what matters most.

Can I trust you?

Of course.

Kid, fortune favors those who are professional,

discreet, and hardworking.

You've just described me.

How's the horse?

It's a mare.

10,000 euros to go from Brussels to Madrid and back.

The deal of the century.

But things are never that simple.

Good evening. Police.

Car papers?

I don't...

French?

Dutch?

English?

- Spanish? - Yes, Spanish.

- Yes? Documents, please. - Sure.

Is this your car?

No. It belongs to a friend.

Open the trunk.

Why?

The trunk, please.

Is this also your friend's?

No. It's...

I just sold my apartment in Madrid

because I want to set up a business here in Brussels.

And why are you carrying cash?

You don't trust the banks?

Haven't you seen what's going on in Argentina?

The banks are keeping people's money.

I'm leaving.

Right now.

Or I'm calling the fucking Spanish consulate.

Come on, let's go.

That was it?

That easy? Not a chance.

Those bastards were testing me.

That's when I realized

I was getting myself into something really big.

- They went a bit too far. - Yeah.

Those cops work for our organization.

Right. I thought you trusted me.

I do now. 100%.

And a little bonus so you can buy some clothes.

Appearance is key.

We should celebrate.

Merci, Antoine.

Merci, Antoine.

Mescal with a worm.

I lived in Mexico for two years.

My parents were diplomats.

I spent half my life travelling from place to place.

This is my first time outside Vallecas.

It was a magical night.

What did he say?

No more bets.

Yes!

All on 23.

- Are you sure? - Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Come on.

- Twenty-three. - Yes!

It sure was fucking magical.

Iván, this is my husband François.

François Letissier.

Son of a diamond smuggler,

exchange broker,

middleman for trafficking foreign currency,

and a fucking asshole.

François, this is Iván. The young man I told you about.

Come with us.

That day, I became a Belgian courier.

I made tons of money.

I drove luxury cars.

And the job was pretty easy, to be honest.

Francisco Escámez.

"Paco" to his friends.

He would hand me briefcases full of money that I had to take to Belgium.

Why Belgium?

Because it's one of the havens for diamond trafficking.

And because it's one of the countries

with the most banking transactions in the world.

And because there are only two inspectors

to monitor the country's entire banking system.

They'd simulate a diamond purchase there to launder the money,

and then send it to our clients' accounts in Switzerland.

The dirty money was now clean.

But where did all that cash come from?

One.

Paco Escámez was known as Mr. 3%.

He was the link between the Belgian scheme and the Spanish clients.

That bastard rubbed shoulders with businessmen, bankers,

politicians, and developers...

And they all had one thing in common.

Some rezoned state land and approved urban development plans.

Others granted loans at very low interest rates.

Others built housing developments and malls on the rezoned land.

And between them,

they divided up the inflated costs and commissions,

paid under the table, of course, to avoid leaving a trail.

Escámez collected all that dirty money

and charged his 3% commission to send it to Belgium.

But where did that money come from?

TAX RETURN

From the usual suckers.

The taxpayers.

Lourdes, we're running out of ham.

Have you named her yet?

The mare.

It was a male.

For racing or jumping?

It's a stallion.

- What a coincidence, like me. - Right.

Sweetie, go tell them we leave again in half an hour, will you?

Sure.

Don't you dare.

- Work and discretion. - I mean it.

Here.

By the way, a piece of advice.

Go see a dentist.

A good smile is everything.

Okay.

GENEVA

Swiss punctuality.

- What are we doing here? - Some things are changing.

Belgium is not as safe now, and we have our partner here.

How much?

Fourteen million.

Wow. The Spanish miracle.

It's crazy.

Even my neighborhood friends are applying for loans to buy apartments.

More new housing means more dirty money.

Champagne.

- You're a bastard, you know? - No. Well, shall we go?

Yeah, let's go.

But we go together, okay?

Why are you Spaniards so loud?

- The check, right? - You have no idea how expensive it is.

An unlikely couple, huh?

What he's got in his briefcase makes everything likely.

- Well, let's focus on our business. - I'll go with you.

It's €14 million.

I want to learn.

Perfect.

- Good morning, Ms. Duprees. - Good morning.

Looking lovely, as usual.

Iván, this is our partner, Mr. Stoffel.

Shall we go?

Mr. Stoffel, with the help of a software engineer,

had created the perfect system in his local branch office

for laundering money and doing parallel bookkeeping.

The euro buys diamonds in Spain.

They're converted to dollars and kept here in Switzerland.

Obviously, the source of the money is unknown.

That's why we use diamonds.

We can guarantee it carries no risk. None at all.

So these diamonds

are just tiny stones to our clients,

but a huge opportunity for the bank.

That way,

they could make all sorts of transactions,

without their bosses or any potential judicial inquiries

ever finding out.

In exchange for his 3% commission, of course.

PRIVATE BANKING GENEVA NEW TRANSFER €14,000,000

No way, Mom. Impossible. I can't.

...both from abroad and from Spain.

I'm up to my eyeballs in work.

URBAN PLANNING COUNCILOR OF MARBELLA

Yeah, I'll go see you as soon as I can. I promise.

Mom, I gotta go, okay?

Love you. Me too. Bye.

...a new luxury development

on municipal land with no current use.

None of this would've been possible without the support of my wife...

Like I said, I was never the brightest kid in class,

but I come up with a lot of ideas.

Son of a bitch.

I just needed a bit of patience.

- Stop it, please. - Okay.

If you keep at it, I have no problem making a scene.

Listen.

I don't wanna hear anything. What I want...

Espresso.

Give me a kiss.

You are so annoying.

What?

- What are you up to, buddy? - Easy.

You've been here for days. What do you want?

Look inside my backpack.

- What? - There, in the small pocket.

Ten thousand euros.

They're yours if you want them.

Okay. What do you wanna do?

This is a business matter, okay?

I have to install some cameras in the room.

Okay, but I'll do it myself.

Keep an eye out here.

We'll talk later, okay?

If you don't want me to get upset, take off the damn ring

when you're with me.

- We'll talk in the room. - You're impossible.

Are you Spanish?

No, Japanese, honey.

Listen, do you have a cigarette?

I can't buy them anywhere.

And with a face like that, you're not used to taking no for an answer, are you?

- How many? - One. One will do.

Here you are, handsome.

Thanks a lot.

Have a nice time.

- You bet, honey. - Okay.

It bothers you, doesn't it?

Fuck me.

Yannick.

Iván.

- How come you speak Spanish so well? - I grew up in Madrid.

No kidding. Where?

- Carabanchel. - I grew up in Vallecas.

- How much will you ask them for this? - I'm not going to ask for money.

I mean, I am, but...

in a different way.

Need a partner?

Yannick wasn't the brightest kid in class either.

But he had some skills.

He handled problems without hesitation.

He had friends everywhere.

Especially in Madrid's nightlife scene.

He spoke several languages.

And he was the king of the party.

The king of the fucking party.

BRUSSELS

I know, Mom. I know.

I know, but there's nothing I can do about it.

Okay.

All right, I'll try.

Big kiss.

Jesus.

My mom keeps insisting that I go see her.

Take all the time off you need.

Are you sure? It'd just be for a week.

No worries. Family is important.

What do you think?

That watch doesn't say anything good about you.

How come?

- For me? - Yes.

A person's watch and shoes say everything about them.

Happy birthday.

I love it.

Obviously, I had better things to do than visit my parents.

Good evening, sir.

Good evening. Mr. Ocaña?

Yes, that gentleman over there.

Okay, thanks.

Excuse me, Mr. Ocaña?

We have a present for you.

This way, please.

Okay. Let's see what Muhammad has for me.

Nothing like a few words in French to catch a Spanish bumpkin.

Okay, kids. Let's see.

Don't make your lives harder.

This is illegal. I'm calling the police.

- Are you sure? - Of course.

I doubt your wife and daughter want to see this.

Neither do your friends.

What do you want?

- Information. - So you're journalists.

- Who the hell do you work for? - We aren't journalists.

We move money from Spain to Switzerland.

And we want to open a branch here, in Marbella.

But we need contacts.

Okay.

Let me explain how all this works, okay?

Let's see... Nobody,

and I mean nobody, is going to leave their savings

in the hands of some strangers.

But we won't be strangers anymore.

Since you'll help us out with that.

Marbella.

A village of fishermen and craftsmen until the '60s.

Until the arrival of foreign tourists,

money,

bricks...

And more foreign tourists,

and more money, and more bricks.

Then, the jet set arrived.

And then,

he arrived.

This is all I have. I always have it because I don't spend any money.

I go out to eat, and someone pays for me. All the time.

The fat man over there is the urban planning councilor.

The scrawny one is the health councilor.

The tall one is a real estate developer.

They call him "Voracious Dick."

Got it?

So what happens now with the video, Iván?

Introduce me first.

To all of them.

Come with me.

Gentlemen, allow me to introduce my nephew Iván, and his partner Yannick.

He's great with numbers.

He used to beat us all whenever we played Monopoly.

Son of a bitch. Right?

Well...

I wasn't aware of it at the time,

but that party was being watched by my future friends at the UDEF,

the Financial and Fiscal Crimes Unit.

That kid, Lucía?

Who's that kid?

No idea,

but I'll look into it.

- That... - Okay.

...was when Head Inspector Roig first caught wind of me.

We're offering discretion,

professionalism,

security,

and, most importantly, immediate access to the money.

That sounds great.

But we've been working with Escámez for a long time.

And we haven't had any issues.

And you, well...

We don't know you.

Of course.

Obviously, you don't know him.

That's true. I mean, nobody knows this guy.

That's why I think Iván's offer is safer.

Discretion and prudence are no longer among Escámez's virtues anymore,

if I may say so.

Look, let's be serious.

Come on. He's my nephew, and he's trustworthy.

I'd bet my life on him. And not only that, my money as well.

I mean, listen, gentlemen.

I need someone to give me security. Because I'm taking a risk.

I'm taking a big risk.

And we all want a piece of the pie.

"Ocaña, rezone this land for me." "Sure."

"Ocaña, the urban planning." "Okay."

"Ocaña, a golf course." For fuck's sake.

Come on, for fuck's sake.

Whatever you want. You know I've never had any objections.

But we do it my way.

With my people, my team, my family...

Immediate access in less than 24 hours.

What else could you ask for? Gentlemen, we're doing well.

We're doing amazing.

And we can do better.

But we need to have trust, damn it. We need to have trust.

GENEVA

It's a gold mine.

What about Escámez? He won't like you stealing his clients.

Don't worry about Escámez. There's plenty of money for everybody.

Besides, we won't bother his clients. I promise.

You're a fast learner.

I learn from the best.

- Are you leaving already? - Yes.

François is expecting me. Christmas with the family.

Don't go.

Stay with me.

Are you always such a high roller?

I want everything.

I'm so sorry.

I have to go.

This is for you.

And this one is also for you.

And this is for Dad.

What is it you do for a living?

I work with some people in Brussels.

We do import and export.

And what do you import?

We have a client portfolio.

We handle financial products. In short, we move money.

Have you become like those politicians on TV?

You talk a lot but don't say anything.

Well, I'm doing great, you know?

Haven't you seen the Porsche downstairs? And look at my watch.

I don't know what you're up to, son,

but easy money...

Trust me, it only brings trouble.

You're wrong, Dad.

Money solves all your problems.

Who do you think you are?

Smart people make laws and break them. And smart-asses end up in jail.

Well, I'd rather end up behind bars

than end up like you.

Sitting around complaining and cursing at the TV!

Don't disrespect me!

I've never stolen from anyone. I've always done honest work.

And what for?! What have you got to show for it?!

At least I can sleep well at night.

I'm not interested in sleep.

I'd rather live my life.

- You'll regret this one day. - Enough. That's enough.

It pisses me off!

I love it, son. Thank you so much.

- Well, well. Look who's here. - What's up?

- What's with the car? - You know...

- How's it going? - What's up, Iván?

Or is it Don Iván?

- Quite a change, huh? Wow. - What about you guys?

Still here in the neighborhood, as always.

In the real estate business.

We apply for loans, buy old apartments, remodel them,

and then sell them for big money.

Well done. You took my advice. Good.

It's yours?

What does it say?

CONSTRUCTIONS EL HUESO

That's great, bro.

Days of plenty.

Construction was the solution to every problem.

And everybody seemed thrilled.

Not even the worst terrorist attack in Spain's history,

nor the turnover of government would change anything.

And I assure you that power won't change me.

Heaps of dirty money kept flowing in.

His name is Iván Márquez.

He's from Vallecas, Madrid.

He used to work as a valet in a golf club.

Criminal record?

None. He's clean.

What's a valet got to do with all this?

It seems he's gotten Ocaña's blessing to do business in the area.

He's always with that Moroccan guy.

There's always a valet ready to take easy money.

What we're offering is discretion,

security,

and more importantly, immediate access.

Any amount you need in less than 24 hours.

Your identities will be protected.

Chechu, how's it going? How are you?

As well as your money.

There are only a few spots left. Think about it.

...the situation is critical.

We need to discuss it.

- What are you doing here? - What about you?

Well, here I am.

You look different.

Thanks. You look as lovely as ever.

My father told me you're doing great.

Yeah. I decided to go solo, and I'm doing okay.

- He plays for Hércules, right? - He signed for Real Madrid.

You prefer the top division.

I'm just picky.

- I play in the top division now. - So I see.

Hey, Iván.

What a surprise. It's been a while.

- How are you doing? - I'm fine.

You finally fixed those teeth. Well done.

Look, Francisco, I can explain.

No. No worries. There's nothing to explain.

This is very simple.

The money you're earning, I'm losing.

I understand supply and demand,

but it turns out I don't like competition.

You've interfered with my clients, so now you'll face the consequences.

Everything okay?

All good. Let's go.

Forget it, Iván.

That piece of ass only means trouble. What you need is a chick from the hood.

The hood sucks. The only good thing about growing up there...

- Is knowing when to get out. - Exactly.

I don't get what it is you see in that rich girl.

Everything.

Right. And you always want what you can't have.

Moron.

What the hell are you doing?

What's going on? Hey!

Hey!

Okay, easy...

Be smart. Leave Marbella.

- Are you okay? - Are you?

Easy. Come on.

We were out of our depth.

So we needed to change our strategy.

I have to admit you have some balls.

How are your injuries?

- Better. - Any broken bones?

Those are the rules of the game.

We know.

So what isn't clear to you then?

We're not leaving Marbella.

But listen, Don Francisco, Costa del Sol is heaven on earth.

We all know that.

We also know no one gets into heaven without St. Peter's permission.

- Go on. - We won't mess with your clients.

- They're yours. - Fine, go on.

As for our own clients, we'll give you 10%.

- 30%. - 20.

Thirty for the first two years, and 20% after that.

Deal.

Saint Peter rules in heaven.

Well played, kid.

One more thing.

Stay away from my daughter.

Life can be wonderful.

Here we go again.

And again.

Forget it, sweetie. He can't even get it up.

What are you doing here?

We need to talk.

Sorry about the mess.

We had a little party last night.

What's up?

I'm nobody to tell you what to do,

but I think you should slow down a bit.

All this is starting to affect our business.

Don't fucking start with me, Anne!

I'm bringing in more money than anyone!

You should be singing my praises!

Get the fuck off my back.

I'm sorry, okay? I apologize.

Iván...

Money's the best thing in the world,

but it can also be dangerous.

So what should I do?

Start saving up?

Buy a house? Find a girlfriend?

François was tipped off.

There is an investigation underway.

The police are after Escámez,

but those of us close to him may be in trouble.

Fuck.

We need to take care of our business, Iván.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Leaving already?

I have to go.

Stay for a bit.

Take care.

Holy shit. Where are the fucking mics?

Shit.

You're gonna break your neck.

- That gray car is following us. - What car?

Don't turn around.

I'm telling you, that motherfucker's following us.

You're paranoid.

- I'm not paranoid. - Yes, you are.

Iván, we're invited to the party of the year.

The crème de la crème. Iván, relax, okay?

Okay.

The party at the Central Market was the biggest event of the year.

It cost a fortune.

But why not spend a little more taxpayer money

to put Costa del Sol on the map?

- We should meet this week, Iván. - You bet.

Iván, come here. Let me introduce you. Hi, Yannick.

Let me introduce you to Carmen, Málaga's deputy mayor, okay?

Manolo, from the Environment Department,

and Antonio, from Industry in Seville.

And this is his wife,

- Joana. - Joana.

This is my boy.

Wow. It seems like fate is pushing us together, huh?

You never stop, huh?

We have to befriend the devil himself.

- You think so? - If he's got money, yeah.

When are we going out?

My dad would kill me.

No way. He adores you.

It's true. He'll kill you.

I don't think so.

He's making a fortune thanks to me.

Give me your hand.

Call me sometime,

and take me out to dinner somewhere special.

Things are looking up, my friend.

- What about her father? - What?

What? Don't you remember what he told you?

Yes, I do.

You gotta be fucking kidding me. Do you want another visit?

Look who's there.

So was I right or not?

- I'll talk to them. - What are you doing?

Iván.

I want to talk to your boss.

We'll follow you, okay?

Inspector.

Good morning. Come in, please.

First, thank you very much for your cooperation.

You're Iván, you're Yannick...

I'm Inspector Manuel Roig, and I'm in charge of this investigation.

- The purpose of which... - What? What investigation?

Right, you two don't have a clue what this is about.

No, we don't, really. We don't know anything.

- We don't get why we're being followed. - Let me explain.

We're following you because we're pretty sure

you have dealings with Ocaña and Escámez.

What's wrong with that?

You insult my intelligence, treating me like a fool.

You know perfectly well what they're up to.

- I don't. - You don't?

No, we don't know what they do.

Look, we're in public relations.

We plan parties, events...

We work with a lot of people.

Well, that's a shame, Iván.

It's a shame because in this business, pawns like you end up in jail,

whereas the bosses get away scot-free.

In this case,

and this is your only chance, things can be different.

If you help me, I can help you.

We're couriers.

We transport bags, but we don't know what's inside.

It's none of our business.

Listen, Iván.

You're couriers in a currency trafficking and money laundering scheme.

That makes you a criminal organization,

which is punishable with eight to ten years in prison.

You'd serve a third of that sentence.

Can you imagine what it's like to spend...

three years in a cell?

It's either you, the pawns...

or the bosses.

You decide, because if I do it,

you all go to prison.

- What do you want? - What the hell do you think I want?

And what do we get?

A second chance. I suggest you take it.

POLICE PRECINCT

Don't think twice about it, okay?

It was either them or us.

We're screwed, Iván.

Tell me, why are we screwed?

Don't you see that when they get that motherfucker Escámez,

the business will be ours?

When he finds out it was us, he'll send his thugs.

- He doesn't need to find out. - Don't you get it, Iván?

If they arrest him and not us, what's he gonna think?

Good luck, partner.

Give me a hug, dammit. A hug.

Good luck to you too, huh?

Take care.

The only solution was to leave the country.

I just needed a good excuse.

- Hello? - Leti, do you like surprises?

I love them.

Grab your passport.

Wow.

Is this for real?

You're a pro, huh?

Okay, sorry. I didn't see your calls. I'm sorry.

In Paris.

Leticia told her father that she was with me.

She said she was old enough to make her own decisions,

and that we were going to tour Europe for a few weeks.

The perfect cover for Escámez not to get suspicious

when he got arrested and not me.

- Was he really pissed off? - A little.

But I told him I was old enough to make my own decisions.

- For me? - Open it.

Like it?

I love it.

It's gorgeous.

Flights, hotels, presents...

That alibi was costing me a fortune.

BRUSSELS

Money was going fast.

- Come on! - Yes!

But what the hell? What's money for if not for spending?

Iván?

How nice to see you.

Good to see you too.

And you must be Leticia.

A pleasure.

- You make a very nice couple. - Thanks.

Right?

How's Don Francisco?

Busy, as always.

I bet he's really happy.

With your relationship, I mean.

- Shall we go? - Yeah.

What's he doing here?

She's pretty.

She must have been stunning in her day, right?

She still is, I think.

We were having a great time.

And I only had to wait for everything to blow up.

And finally, Head Inspector Roig launched Operation Malaya,

uncovering city planning corruption in Spain,

starting with Marbella City Council.

Dozens taken into custody and hundreds of millions in assets seized.

In the 12 years they were in office, cranes crowded Marbella's skyline.

13,000 new housing projects per year

which, according to opposition and business owners,

were not supported

by enough services or infrastructure, ultimately causing the collapse

of one of the main tourist destinations in Spain.

Leti.

Hey.

I have to get back to Madrid.

...Juan Antonio Roca, a team formed by the Fiscal Police...

I can't go with you. You know that, right?

I know.

...the strategy to investigate

both the structure of the scheme and its operation.

In custody are the former urban planning advisor...

Be good, okay?

...Juan Antonio Roca, the mayor, Sol Yagüe,

and the deputy mayor, Isabel García Marcos.

Operation Malaya raises all kinds of questions

about how such a structure can be set up...

With Leticia back home, I could get back into the game.

It was time to raise the stakes.

I know, what happened to Escámez is fucked up,

but it's totally fine because I can take care of his clients.

I know them all.

And I'll save his share for him, and that's it.

He says he can take care of his clients while Escámez is in prison.

The pawn wants to become king.

What did he say?

We have to disappear for a bit, Iván. Until things cool down.

What about all the money that has to be delivered in Switzerland?

The economy has its cycles, my friend.

The party is over.

Now it's time to collect our earnings and wait for the storm to pass.

He says hard times are ahead.

Iván, the bubble is about to burst.

Europe will turn off the tap as long as the crisis lasts.

What crisis?

They're building more than ever. Banks keep handing out loans.

Precisely.

We have to disappear for a while. Trust me.

Yes, I should've listened to her.

But I still had some cash left,

and I could go back to Madrid,

so I called Yannick.

The king of the party.

And the party lasted as long as the money did.

What the hell are you doing in Madrid?

Asshole.

Mom.

Iván,

your father passed away.

Without a job,

money,

or coke,

and feeling guilty about not being there when my dad died.

There was only one solution.

To go back home.

I'm so sorry, Mom.

I'm really sorry.

I'll give you some time with him.

François was right. There were hard times ahead.

The Spanish economy, during this term, has entered

the Champions League of the world economy.

The first major financial crisis of the 21st century.

The real estate bubble.

Lehman Brothers and all that crap.

The circumstances are not going to have a significant impact

on the evolution of the Spanish economy.

But they did have an impact. A big one.

So I go to use the bathroom on the yacht,

and, while I'm pissing, I'm thinking, "What's this?"

A fucking Miró.

- No. - Are you kidding me?

- For real. - Really?

- A fucking Miró on the wall. - It's insane.

That's high-class.

Tell me, what about Pantoja?

Did you ever meet her?

What's that?

- Pantoja is great. I swear. So is Julián. - I knew it.

That's crazy. You should write a book, you know?

- I just might. - I should be in it.

That's right. All of us.

Guys, to Iván, who's back in the neighborhood.

- To Iván. - To you.

So good to see you, brother.

- Sergio, lend me your car. - What for? Where are you going?

Coincidence? Fate?

Who cares?

The point is my instincts were telling me there was a business opportunity there.

And I wasn't going to miss it.

CONVENIENCE STORE

If we see you again, we'll break your bones.

Got it?

I totally got it.

His name is Yao Ming.

I met him when he wanted to buy land in Marbella,

but what you're telling me about is peanuts to Yao.

What about all those Chinese shops in Madrid?

That's nothing, peanuts.

Yao Ming handles a lot of dirty money,

but most of it doesn't come from that.

Where does he get it?

Wholesale imports.

In order to pay lower custom duties,

they declare much lower prices

than the actual value of the products he imports.

So what's the deal?

He still has to pay his Chinese suppliers the real price, right?

So he has to send them the rest of the money in cash.

How do they do it?

The old-fashioned way.

They carry it on them,

or in suitcases with fake bottoms,

attached to their bodies,

inside toys, dolls...

Sometimes someone gets caught.

But it's the same as with drugs. How should I put it?

For every one they catch, ten manage to get through.

And there's no shortage of Chinese people.

Look, Yao Ming

is fucking ambitious. Like us.

If you propose him a better system, he'll surely hear you out.

You catch my drift?

Thanks a lot.

Iván, don't forget about me.

I have to pay for my kid's tuition and my mortgage, okay?

- Consider it done. - Great.

"Dirty money." The magic words.

GENEVA

Iván.

You look amazing.

Thanks. You too.

Champagne?

Water.

Seriously?

How are you?

What have you been up to the past few months?

Nothing much.

What's this important thing you want to tell me?

I have a proposal for you.

Look, the Chinese handle a huge amount of dirty money in Spain.

They send it to China via couriers.

Iván,

things have changed.

It's not easy to bring money into Switzerland anymore.

It's all very controlled.

Besides, due to the crisis,

the money is flowing in the opposite direction now.

Our clients need cash,

and we have to bring it back to Spain for them.

I have a solution.

Anne needed to get money from Switzerland into Spain,

and Yao Ming needed to get it out.

The thing is that our clients have all their money being held in Switzerland.

So the plan is to transfer that money to China, to your accounts,

and you pay us here in Spain in cash.

And we would receive our famous 3% commission.

How do I know you won't keep my money?

Tell me your account number.

Tell him.

Does €3,000,000 sound like a good start?

A sweet deal.

Madame.

Young man.

Yannick. What's up, brother? How are you doing?

No, you listen up.

I have a hell of a business plan.

Yeah.

Listen, I could use a partner.

Are you in?

Okay.

- Good evening. - Good evening.

Thank you, sir.

Life can be wonderful.

But there's always someone looking to fuck you over.

Well, what a surprise.

Paco.

- How are you doing? - Well. Very well.

In fact, we're celebrating that the judge dismissed the case.

I see.

What about you two?

I've heard you're in business with the Chinese.

Wow, news travels fast.

Yes. Be careful. The Chinese are not to be trusted.

Although, who can be trusted, these days?

Six months in prison,

a year and a half on probation.

You never paid a visit, never called...

Paco.

We had to disappear.

Sure. I would have done the same.

But there is one thing I would've never done.

I would've never snitched.

- Iván. - Asshole.

- Cool it. - Iván.

See?

The street kid inside him finally comes out.

- Let's go. - Yes.

But Escámez wasn't the only bastard who wanted to fuck me over.

The one who really screwed me

was a guy I'd only seen once.

Falciani, the software engineer who worked for Stoffel.

Okay!

Didn't he leave me any documents?

Hey. What's the matter?

Motherfucker! Look!

THE "FALCIANI LIST," A MASSIVE FRAUD

What's this?

Who's Falciani?

He leaked a list of secret bank accounts,

and all our clients are on it.

Okay, calm down. Have you spoken to Stoffel?

Stoffel and François fled with all the money.

They're gonna come for us.

Iván.

We have to disappear.

Thanks.

For fuck's sake.

Out. Come on.

- Come on. - Out!

Come on.

Come on, let's go.

Get in. Come on.

- In you go. Get in. - All right.

Let's go!

Come on, move. This way.

Easy.

Quick. Come on, move.

Leave her alone. Don't worry, Anne, okay?

Sit down.

Yao.

- What the fuck, dude? What's all this? - The police are after us.

We have nothing to do with that. I swear.

I have informants in the police. I want to know what you told them.

Yao, we're friends. I haven't talked to them. Why would I?

The problem is, sooner or later, they'll catch you.

And I can't let you tell them what you know.

Look, I don't care if they catch me, because I won't tell them anything.

I won't say a word. I'll be as silent as a tomb.

Sure, a tomb. Like last time?

I told you, I have contacts in the police.

That was different, damn it.

Okay? Escámez is a son of a bitch.

It was the only way to get him off my back.

And to save your ass.

Now I have to save mine.

Kill him!

No, stop. Wait a second, okay?

Listen, Yao.

What will you do with your money?

The police won't take long to search everything.

You have to get your money out of Spain now.

- Switzerland is not an option anymore. - I know, but there are other ways.

Look...

I'll leave the country with the money.

That way, you don't have to worry about the money, or me being caught.

I'm in your hands.

Very well. Let's see. Tell me more.

Big challenges

call for big solutions.

Are you sure?

It's the only way to get Yao's money out and leave the country at the same time.

Besides,

do you know how much 3% of €1.55 billion is?

I do.

It's €46.5 million.

That's enough to retire.

We're not the sort of people who retire.

I know.

But we could really use a vacation.

And the party was over.

I want a lawyer.

Of course, sure.

It's in your legal rights.

And, at this point in the game, you must have a hell of a lawyer.

The best.

Well, you'll get a sentence of...

about 20 years,

and, if you get the best, you might get about 15.

Let's make a deal.

When you're in prison, and you will be,

remember that you had your chance to make a deal.

- There's no deal now. - Okay.

One million euros.

One million euros in cash.

Can you guarantee that much in cash?

Of course.

You'll be able to buy a house

and a new car,

and send your kids to study abroad.

Come on, Inspector, that's a lot of money.

Never. I'll never be one of you.

I don't need so much greed.

I don't need all that much to be a tiny bit happy.

- You sound like my father. - He's an honest person, your dad.

Tell him that for me.

He's dead.

He was gone at 60.

Penniless and talking nonsense, just like you.

If he'd had money, his life would've been very different.

Yours still can be.

We'll never know, Iván.

Unless I win the lottery, but I'm afraid I never play.

I'll be out in 48 hours.

Speaking of deals, how do you think we found out about Hong Kong?

Who did you talk to?

Escámez, right?

Or the Chinese. Who was it?

Our offer was love or freedom.

Don't lie to me.

That's not true.

That's impossible.

Don't make that face. You would've done the same.

COURTHOUSE

It's true. I would've done the same thing.

Police! Down on the ground!

So far, 80 arrests and 120 searches

are the results of Operation Emperador against a network that,

in just four years, managed to launder up to 1.2 billion euros.

Most of those involved are Chinese citizens,

as well as some Spaniards, among them, four public officials.

Good evening, it is possibly the biggest operation...

My father was right after all, the bastard.

Smart-asses like me end up in jail.

Do you regret anything you did?

Well, yes.

Yes, many things.

But the thing is that money is like...

Like a virus.

Once it infects you, it's impossible to get rid of it.

Most of that money was public funds,

that could've been used to build more schools, more hospitals,

to employ more nurses, more doctors.

It was taxpayer money.

I know, but money corrupts people.

And a whole lot of money corrupts you a hell of a lot.

Each one must face their own responsibilities.

Thank you.

THE FRAUD OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR EXCEEDED 9 BILLION EUROS

THE "FALCIANI LIST" REVEALED 1.8 BILLION "SHADY" EUROS

BELONGING TO SPANIARDS IN SWITZERLAND

THE COUNTRY NEEDED A 58 BILLION EURO BAILOUT FROM THE EU

ERE IN ANDALUSIA

THE NATIONAL DEBT TRIPLED

THE PSOE AND PP FAST-TRACKED A CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

TO PRIORITIZE PAYMENT OF THE DEBT

Justice is equal for all.

EVICTIONS ROSE

CUTS TO HEALTH AND EDUCATION REMAIN IN PLACE TO THIS DAY

Suck it up, tough it out, and deal with it.

THE VALUE OF ALL SPANIARDS' SAVINGS FELL AND INEQUALITY SKYROCKETED

THE COURIER

Subtitle translation by: Felipe M.