A dispute over a £70,000 whisky deal on the Scottish island of Islay has led to a bitter legal battle, with a Dutch trader claiming he was the victim of a scam and forgery.
Pierre Sauren, a trader from the Netherlands, is pursuing Isaias Cuartero and his wife Marta Arroyo through Campbeltown Sheriff Court to recoup more than £70,000 he claims they owe him. Mr. Sauren alleges that he loaned the couple £50,000, with an additional £26,400 in loan fees, which was to be repaid the following month. According to court papers, Mr. Cuartero told Mr. Sauren the money would fund the trade of whisky casks to China.
When the repayment was not made, Mr. Sauren became suspicious and began his own investigation, contacting locals on Islay. He claims that Mr. Cuartero has vanished and believes he has been scamming multiple people, potentially securing hundreds of thousands of pounds. Mr. Sauren stated, "With better research, maybe I shouldn’t have done it. I found he was scamming a lot of people."
However, the case took a turn when Ms. Arroyo denied knowledge of the deal, claiming her signature on the contract was forged. She told the court that she first became aware of the agreement when Mr. Sauren began contacting locals. "One of my friends showed me an email going around Islay from someone I’d never met in my life," she stated.
Ms. Arroyo, 43, also claimed that she separated from Mr. Cuartero in 2022 after discovering he had accessed her bank account without consent, though they continued to reside in the same property for a time. She asserts she has had no contact with Mr. Cuartero since 2024 and has reported the alleged forgery to the police herself.
A graphologist, Hannah Pocock, testified that it was "more than likely" that someone else had faked Ms. Arroyo's signature, though she conceded it was not impossible for it to be genuine.
Mr. Sauren, who owns the Dutch dealership Whisky Exclusive, has reportedly contacted Police Scotland about the alleged fraud, but no arrests have been made. He drew a comparison to the sentencing of Peter Murrell, former CEO of the Scottish National Party, who received a five-year jail term for embezzlement, questioning why those involved in this case remain free.
Mr. Cuartero did not appear in court and was not represented. He was previously sequestrated in his absence in 2023 by a local couple seeking to recover a £120,000 investment.
Police Scotland confirmed they are investigating "a number of reports in relation to fraud on the Isle of Islay", with inquiries ongoing, but noted that none of the reports relate to forgery.
Sheriff Thomas McCartney is expected to deliver his judgment in the coming weeks. Islay has long been recognized as a significant hub for producing highly prized whiskies, with its unique environmental factors contributing to the spirit's distinctive characteristics.