1,200 people quizzed in Malaga.

POLICE are investigating 1,200 people who bought forged academic diplomas from a 60-year-old Malaga man.

Amongst those charged are members of the Local National Police, Guardia Civil, public administration and hospital staff. Most of the forged diplomas were detected during the entrance process and the holders were expelled from the forces. The fraud worked by word of mouth and the man sold the fake diplomas for more than six years before he was arrested in 2008.

So far, approximately 100 people have been charged and a further 80 arrested, but many more are believed to have provided their personal details to the detainee and paid between €500 for training course diplomas and €1,500 for university degrees.

Although some simply wanted them for show or to make their CV look better, others have used them to access state exams and positions to become civil servants or security guards.