In the annals of Spanish history, few individuals have captured the public’s attention quite like Francisco Nicolás Gómez Iglesias. Known colloquially as “El pequeño Nicolás” or “Little Nicolas,” Gómez Iglesias rose to infamy in 2014 when details of his elaborate web of deception and fraud came to light.
Francisco Nicolás Gómez Iglesias was born on April 18, 1994, in Madrid, Spain. Raised by his grandmother since the age of 14, he embarked on a path that would lead him to become one of Spain’s most notorious criminals. While studying law at university, Francisco Nicolás began to craft an intricate double life. He claimed to have influential connections in the political and business spheres, a facade that he used to exploit unsuspecting individuals and organizations.
Francisco Nicolás’s audacity knew no bounds. He purportedly defrauded dozens of people, promising them lucrative business opportunities through his alleged high-level contacts. To bolster his fabricated stories, he leased luxury cars and even outfitted one with a blue light similar to those used by undercover police units. He went to great lengths to maintain the illusion, hiring personal bodyguards to lend credibility to his various identities.
But it was Francisco Nicolás’s ability to infiltrate the upper echelons of Spanish political and economic power that truly captured the public’s imagination. He claimed to have impersonated a member of the CNI, Spain’s intelligence agency, and even attended the crowning of King Felipe VI as an esteemed guest. These audacious exploits catapulted him into the national spotlight and earned him the moniker “Little Nicolas.”
Despite his best efforts to maintain his facade, Francisco Nicolás’s web of deceit eventually began to unravel. On October 14, 2014, he was arrested by the National Police on charges of forgery, fraud, and identity theft. The subsequent investigation exposed the extent of his fraudulent activities and the vast network of individuals and organizations he had deceived.
In interviews following his arrest, Francisco Nicolás made even more outlandish claims. He asserted that he had worked for Spain’s secret service, the Centro Nacional de Inteligencia (CNI), as well as the Spanish Royal family and the vice presidency of the Spanish government. He even boasted of his position as the president of the youth organization of the local group of the Spanish party Partido Popular.
Francisco Nicolás’s legal troubles only intensified in the years that followed. In February 2015, he was arrested for failing to pay his share of a restaurant bill. His run-ins with the law continued, with subsequent convictions for offenses such as falsifying his ID to have a friend take university entrance exams on his behalf. The Madrid Provincial Court sentenced him to one year and nine months in prison for this offense in June 2021.
In July 2021, Francisco Nicolás received a three-year prison sentence for usurpation of public functions and active bribery. The court cited “psychological anomalies and undue delays” as mitigating circumstances for the sentence. Later that year, in December, he was sentenced to three years and five months in prison for further offenses of usurpation of public functions and falsification of official documents.
The most recent chapter in Francisco Nicolás’s criminal saga involved his scheme to access confidential information from police databases. He was found guilty of creating an illegal system to obtain this data, which he planned to exploit for personal gain within the social and political circles he frequented. The Madrid High Court sentenced him to four years and three months in prison for this offense, bringing his total prison sentence to an astounding twelve years and five months.
The story of Francisco Nicolás Gómez Iglesias serves as a cautionary tale of the perils of deception and the consequences that await those who manipulate others for personal gain. His audacious exploits and ability to infiltrate the highest levels of Spanish society captivated the public’s imagination, but ultimately his web of deceit unraveled, leading to a cascade of legal repercussions.
As Spain looks back on the rise and fall of “Little Nicolas,” it serves as a reminder that no one is above the law and that the truth will always prevail. Francisco Nicolás’s story serves as a stark warning to individuals tempted by the allure of deceit and fraud, highlighting the severe consequences that await those who choose this path.
