In total, six individuals were arrested in connection with the case, including Montesinos, a minor who was involved in an extortion scheme and was detained months earlier, along with two others linked to the attack on the designer’s chalet and two more members of the conspiracy who faced blackmail accusations.
What began in early October 2022 saw a fashion designer become target of a violent assault at his villa in the town of Llíria. Two masked men stormed Montesinos’ home, where he was accompanied by a friend. They restrained and assaulted both men and demanded a substantial sum of money, after receiving no response from the Prensa Ibérica group.
The assailants fled before authorities arrived, after a neighbor alerted the 112 emergency line to report what seemed like a burglary at Montesinos’ residence.
Judicial Police investigators from the Llíria Civil Guard uncovered a broader pattern: a case involving blackmail and alleged sexual abuse of a minor was linked to what appeared to be a premeditated home invasion and assault.
A month earlier, Montesinos reported being extorted by threats of a sexually explicit video involving a 15-year-old. The perpetrators initially demanded half a million euros, later reducing the demand to around 10,000 euros after the initial refusal.
The designer publicly claimed on a morning talk show that he had evidence showing he believed the other party had misrepresented themselves as a minor, while the other individual asserted that they were 18 years old during those interactions.
video call
Authorities proceeded with the arrest after a proactive inquiry by Civil Guard teams into the mountain home assault. The charges included coercion against a minor under 15, breaches of privacy, secret disclosure, unlawful detention, injuries, violent robbery, and trespass. Investigators also pressed the designer to disclose the sex tape being used for blackmail.
Initially, those involved denied ownership of the recording and offered vague explanations. The Civil Guard recovered the footage, which led to Montesinos’ arrest and subsequent release. Llíria authorities were set to summon him in the near future under guidance from Court No. 5. Several other detainees were released while awaiting their turn before the judge.
At the conclusion of the operation, the head of the court awaited extended documents. New action by the Civil Guard would include statements from agents regarding the designer’s alleged sexual misconduct with a minor. It remains clear that any relation with a person under the legal age carries serious criminal consequences.
The minor’s role took a surprising turn as well. Although the teenager participated in the initial acts of blackmail and the assault on Montesinos’ home, the video viewing ultimately reframed the case as a potential sexual assault accusation against the minor.
The shadow of abuse traces back to 2014, when the name Francis Montesinos previously faced serious allegations. He was detained on charges including sexual abuse, bribery of minors, child pornography, and offenses against public health.
He was released on bail after testifying before the judge and prohibited from approaching the alleged victims. The allegation surfaced through an individual detained in Picassent who was linked to similar events. The suit concerned alleged abuse of two young children during parties at the Llíria estate, with most of the minors denying the charges and no monetary settlement being confirmed at that time. The prosecution was reviewing the case.
Montesinos has consistently maintained his innocence, calling the accusations insidious and aimed at harming his reputation. His public statement suggested the allegations arose from a vendetta, with the press office indicating possible motive tied to a failed plan for his son to join a public display. He described the process as emotionally devastating and insisted the charges were unfounded. He also emphasized a strong stance against any form of abuse toward minors, vowing that it troubled him deeply.
Throughout the episodes, Montesinos asserted that he faced baseless and misleading allegations and maintained his commitment to clearing his name.