Spanish radio reporter Guillermo ‘Willy’ Valades has been accused of faking terminal cancer in order to steal money from his colleagues.
According to various reports, including from Marca, Valades told his colleagues at Cadena Cope and previously at Cadena SER that he had terminal cancer and needed to raise money for treatment. They represent two of the biggest radio stations in Spain, and shows hosted by friends Paco Gonzalez and Juanma Castano are two of the most listened to in the country.
Valades reportedly collected money from his colleagues for the cancer treatment, with those donations reaching as high as €10k per month. However he has since acknowledged that he has received no cancer treatment from the medical centre in Navarra.
The case was uncovered when Cadena Cope called the University Clinic in order to confirm the treatment was taking place, at which point they declared they had no knowledge of it. Valades had been receiving funds for over a year, at which point he threatened his colleagues should they reveal his secret. Presumably the matter will be dealt with by the police in the coming days.
