Television producer Josep Maria Mainat appeared in court this Monday to formally withdraw as a suspect in a case accusing his former wife, Angela Dobrowolski, of forging a cheque on his behalf in August 2020. The hearing took place at the Barcelona 1st Criminal Court, where Mainat explained that his withdrawal was motivated by the alleged fraud and that the bank had already returned the money, leaving him feeling neither financially nor emotionally harmed by the incident. He said he was briefly irritated by the prospect of being duped but has since moved on and noted that he does not see a clear purpose for continuing the case.
In his remarks, Mainat stated that his aim was to bring these minor trials to a close. His legal team is concentrating on the separate case concerning attempted murder, in which his ex-wife is accused of trying to cause him harm with an insulin overdose. The indictment describes how the signed checks allegedly originated from the couple’s shared home, with Dobrowolski allegedly completing a checkbook and writing a cheque for 1,200 euros in favor of Mainat’s sister, complete with a forged signature. The plan, prosecutors say, was for Mainat to cash the cheque and for the signature to be forged again on a related document to obtain funds from a debit card. A second cheque for 2,900 euros is cited, and the prosecutors are seeking three years of imprisonment for this scheme.
Angela Dobrowolski
Dobrowolski, who also spoke at Monday’s hearing, arrived wearing a white wig and explained that she did not learn the checks had been signed until police arrested her. She said that Mainat and she had agreed on an arrangement in which she would cover an admission cost for her sister to live in Barcelona in exchange for legal discussions over child custody during the producer’s holidays. She asserted that others may have lived in the same house and suggested that someone else could have signed the checks. Dobrowolski added that she now faces post-traumatic stress and urged the court to consider the impact of her experiences, saying that those in jail should receive appropriate care and protection.
Witnesses
Testimony from the head of the bank branch where the checks were processed described being addressed by a woman with a foreign accent who claimed to be a relative of Mainat, a claim the teller could not verify. Prosecutors noted that the bank employee did not confirm the relationship or the signatory. Additional testimony from Mossos d’Esquadra officers indicated that they could not identify the person who signed the checks, which left the authorities with uncertainties regarding the chain of signatures and the overall operation of the alleged fraud.
In the course of the proceedings, several law enforcement witnesses acknowledged limitations in recognizing the signatories, a factor that has complicated the assessment of liability in the alleged scheme. The owners of the house and the people who resided there were also questioned about the arrangement between the parties and the potential involvement of others in the signing of documents used to obtain funds. The court continues to examine the credibility of the different accounts presented at the hearing, aiming to determine the extent of any financial harm and the involvement of additional individuals in the alleged acts.
Throughout the proceedings, Mainat’s counsel emphasized the importance of concluding the minor charges so the focus can return to the more serious alleged crime, while the defense for Dobrowolski highlighted concerns about the stability and safety of those involved in the case. The case has drawn significant attention given the high-profile nature of the individuals involved and the potential implications for custody arrangements and personal safety in ongoing legal disputes. The court is expected to schedule further proceedings to address unresolved questions and to hear additional witnesses as the investigation progresses. The parties and their legal teams have indicated a willingness to move through the process with caution while pursuing a clear resolution to the matters at hand, in light of the seriousness of the allegations and the potential consequences for everyone involved. This ongoing inquiry will be closely watched by the media and observers who follow high-profile cases in Spain, as it touches on issues of trust, financial accountability, and family law within a high-profile public figure’s life. The developments will be reported as they unfold, with further updates provided by court reporters and official sources.