Francisco Nicolás Gómez Iglesias

{{Short description|Spanish impostor (born 1994)}}

{{family name hatnote|Gómez|Iglesias|lang=Spanish}}

{{Infobox person

| birth_name = Francisco Nicolás Gómez Iglesias

| image =

| image_size =

| caption = Francisco Nicolás, also known as El pequeño Nicolás

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|4|18}}

| birth_place = Móstoles, Spain

| occupation = Law student

| spouse =

| children =

}}

Francisco Nicolás Gómez Iglesias (born April 18, 1994, in Móstoles){{Cite web|url=http://www.elmundo.es/cronica/2014/10/19/54421cede2704e397c8b456b.html|work=El Mundo|date=October 19, 2014|title=El niño que decía trabajar para Soraya y el CNI|author=Martín Mucha y Javier G. Negre}} nicknamed by Spanish press as "El pequeño Nicolás" (Little Nicholas) is a Spanish celebrity and former student of Law{{Cite web|url=http://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2014-10-16/la-vida-inventada-del-pequeno-nicolas-de-amigo-de-felipe-vi-a-chantajista-del-ibex_247689/|work=El Confidencial|date=October 16, 2014|title=La vida inventada del pequeño Nicolás: de 'amigo' de Felipe VI a chantajista del Ibex|author=José María Olmo}} famous for infiltrating himself into the Spanish high society and political parties as well as being arrested in October 2014 on charges of forgery, fraud and identity theft. Apparently, the young man infiltrated in the highest levels of Spanish political and economic power, going as far as to impersonate a member of the CNI (the Spanish intelligence agency){{Cite web|url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2014/10/23/01003-20141023ARTFIG00409-l-elite-espagnole-dupee-par-l-esbroufe-du-petit-nicolas.php|work=Le Figaro|language=French|date=October 23, 2014|title=L'élite espagnole dupée par l'esbroufe du "petit Nicolas"|author=Mathieu de Taillac}} or being a guest in the crowning of Felipe VI.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/22/world/student-spins-double-life-among-spanish-elite.html|work=New York Times|date=October 21, 2014|title=Student Spins Double Life Among Spanish Elite|author=Raphael Minder}}

Biography

Francisco Nicolás has lived with his grandmother since he was 14.{{cite web |url=http://madrid.lahaine.org/la-biografia-inedita-y-nada |last=Quesada |first=Aday |title=La biografia inédita y nada inocente del pequeño Nicolás |access-date=16 November 2014 |date=30 October 2014 |work=La Haine |language=es}}

Francisco Nicolás allegedly led a double life. While studying law at university he claimed to be an important person with political and business contacts, a claim that he used to take advantage of certain entities and individuals.{{Cite news |url=http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/galicia/2014/10/18/delirios-narcisistas-vive-abuela-viste-traje-13-anos/0003_201410G18P149911.htm |title=Tiene "delirios narcisistas", vive con su abuela y viste traje desde los 13 años |newspaper=La Voz de Galicia |date=October 18, 2014 |access-date=12 April 2019 |language=es}} Allegedly, he defrauded dozens of people, to whom he promised sizable business opportunities, thanks to his alleged contacts at the highest positions of the Spanish Administration, the Spanish government and even the CNI. He leased luxury cars to reinforce his fabricated stories and one of them was found with a blue light similar to that employed by undercover units of the security forces in emergencies and thus skipping red lights and avoiding jams. He even hired personal bodyguards to give credibility to his identities.

On October 14, 2014 he was arrested by the National Police on charges of forgery, fraud and identity theft.{{cite news |url=http://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2014-10-19/el-pequeno-nicolas-utilizo-a-garcia-legaz-y-a-faes-para-engordar-su-curriculum_268869/ |title=El pequeño Nicolás utilizó a García-Legaz y a FAES para engordar su currículum |first=Ana |last=I. Gracia |newspaper=El Confidencial |access-date=16 November 2014 |date=19 October 2014 |first2=José María |last2=Olmo |language=es |publisher=Titania Compañía Editorial S.L.}}{{cite news |url=http://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2014-10-16/la-vida-inventada-del-pequeno-nicolas-de-amigo-de-felipe-vi-a-chantajista-del-ibex_247689/ |title=La vida inventada del pequeño Nicolás: de amigo de Felipe VI a chantajista del Ibex |first=José María |last=Olmo |newspaper=El Confidencial |access-date=16 November 2014 |date=16 October 2014 |publisher=Titania Compañía Editorial, S.L. |language=es}} On October 17, the judge in the case agreed to release him on bail without bond.{{Cite news |url=http://www.elcomercio.es/sociedad/201410/18/jueza-explica-como-francisco-20141018030217.html |title=La jueza no se explica cómo Francisco Nicolás Gómez engañó a tantos "solo con palabrería" |first=Francisco |last=Apaolaza y Agencias |date=October 18, 2014 |newspaper=El Comercio |access-date=12 April 2019 |publisher=Vocento |language=es}} In November 2014, Francisco Nicolás gave interviews to Telecinco and El Mundo in which he claimed to have worked for the Spanish secret service, known as the Centro Nacional de Inteligencia (CNI), the Spanish Royal family and the vice presidency of the Spanish government.{{cite web |url=http://www.telecinco.es/untiemponuevo/programas/programa-5-22-11-14/Francisco-Nicolas-Denuncie-actuaciones-CNI_0_1896825006.html |title=Francisco Nicolás: "Denuncié actuaciones 'alegales' de algunos miembros del CNI" |work=Telecinco |date=November 23, 2014 |access-date=12 April 2019 |language=es |publisher=Mediaset}}{{cite news |url=http://www.estrelladigital.es/articulo/espanha/pequeno-nicolas-revela-era-charlie-cni-y-pedian-cosas-alegales/20141123104803218431.html |title='El pequeño Nicolás' revela que era un 'Charlie' del CNI y que le pedían cosas "alegales" |work=estrelladigital.es |first=S. |last=Serrano |date=November 23, 2014 |access-date=12 April 2019 |language=es}} He also claimed to have been President of the youth organisation of the local group of the People's Party in Moncloa-Aravaca.{{cite news |url=http://www.elmundo.es/espana/2014/11/23/5470fb8a22601dbb488b456c.html |title=Francisco Nicolás: 'Celebré mi cumpleaños en el ático de Ignacio González' |newspaper=El Mundo |first=Eduardo |last=India |first2=Esteban |last2=Urreiztiefta |location=Madrid |date=November 23, 2014 |access-date=12 April 2019 |language=es}}

On 13 February 2015 he was arrested after not paying his share of a restaurant bill.{{cite news |first=Patricia |last=Ortega Dolz |url=http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/02/13/inenglish/1423826608_611318.html |title=‘Little Nicolás’ arrested for running out on €500 restaurant bill |newspaper=El País |date=13 February 2015 |access-date=16 February 2015 |publisher=Prisa |language=es}}

On 7 January 2016 he became a contestant and participated in the Spanish version of reality show Celebrity Big Brother: Gran Hermano VIP.{{cite news |last=Silvestre |first=Javier |title=Se filtran los cuatro últimos concursantes de ‘reality’ |url=http://www.lavanguardia.com/television/20160107/301243540076/gran-hermano-vip-estreno-concursantes-ghvip4-ghvip.html |access-date=9 February 2016 |newspaper=La Vanguardia |date=7 January 2016 |language=es}}{{cite news |last=Mucientes |first=Esther |title=Fran, expulsado de GH Vip: el 'pequeño Nicolás' muere matando |url=http://www.elmundo.es/blogs/elmundo/momen-tvs/2016/01/22/el-pequeno-nicolas-muere-matando.html |access-date=9 February 2016 |newspaper=El Mundo |date=22 January 2016 |language=es |publisher=Unidad Editorial Información General S.L.U.}}

In 2019 he founded Influencia Joven, a party which is focused on Z generation and millennials.{{cite news |url=https://as.com/epik/2019/02/22/portada/1550816488_552497.html |title=El Pequeño Nicolás ha fundado un partido, 'Influencia joven': estas son sus ideas |first=Víctor |last=Millán |date=22 February 2019 |access-date=29 March 2025 |newspaper=As |language=es}}{{cite news |url=https://www.elmundo.es/tecnologia/2019/02/22/5c6ee056fc6c83eb658b46e0.html |title=El pequeño Nicolás crea su partido político a partir de una cuenta que robaba memes en Instagram |first=Daniel |last=J. Ollero |first2=Guillermo |last2=del Palacio |date=22 February 2019 |access-date=29 March 2025 |newspaper=El Mundo |language=es}}

On June 9, 2021, he was sentenced by the Madrid Provincial Court to his first sentence, one year and nine months in prison and a fine of 2,700 euros, for falsifying his ID so that a friend could do the selectivity tests for him.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.es/espana/abci-tribunal-condena-y-nueve-meses-carcel-pequeno-nicolas-falsificar-selectividad-202106091132_noticia.html|title=El tribunal condena a un año y nueve meses de cárcel al Pequeño Nicolás por falsificar el DNI en Selectividad|accessdate=2021-06-09|date=2021-06-09|website=abc|language=es}} The Provincial Court of Madrid imposed him a three-year prison sentence in July 2021 for a crime of usurpation of public functions and another of active bribery, with the application of extenuating circumstances for "psychological anomalies and undue delays».{{cite web|url=https://elpais.com/espana/2021-07-20/tres-anos-de-carcel-para-el-pequeno-nicolas-por-hacerse-pasar-por-emisario-del-rey.html|title=Tres años de cárcel para el Pequeño Nicolás por hacerse pasar por emisario del Rey|author=J. J. Gálvez|date=20 July 2021|website=elpaís.com}}

With regard to his supplantation of the identity of a public official in 2014, in July 2021 the Madrid Provincial Court sentenced him to three years' imprisonment for the offences of usurpation of public functions and active bribery, with the application of mitigating circumstances for "psychological anomaly and undue delay".{{Cite web |last=Gálvez |first=J. J. |date=2021-07-20 |title=Tres años de cárcel para El Pequeño Nicolás por hacerse pasar por emisario del Rey |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2021-07-20/tres-anos-de-carcel-para-el-pequeno-nicolas-por-hacerse-pasar-por-emisario-del-rey.html |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=El País |language=es}}

On 12 December 2022, the Provincial Court of Madrid sentenced him to his third conviction, once again for the offences of usurpation of public functions and falsification of official documents, by pretending to be a government envoy to broker the sale of a property. The sentence imposed for these offences amounted to three years and five months' imprisonment.{{Cite web |last=Gálvez |first=J. J. |date=2022-12-12 |title=Tercera condena de cárcel para El Pequeño Nicolás |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2022-12-12/tercera-condena-de-carcel-para-el-pequeno-nicolas.html |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=El País |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=2022-12-12 |title=Condenan a 3 años y 5 meses de prisión a 'El Pequeño Nicolás' por hacerse pasar por un miembro del Gobierno |url=https://www.antena3.com/noticias/espana/condenan-3-anos-5-meses-prision-pequeno-nicolas-hacerse-pasar-miembro-gobierno_2022121263975600e85dc40001f3264b.html |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=www.antena3.com |language=es}}

Finally, on March 29, 2023, it was made public that on March 3, the Provincial Court had sentenced him to another four years and three months in prison and to pay a fine of 7300 euros for the commission of the crimes of discovery and disclosure of secrets, violation of official secrets and active bribery, having been declared proven that he accessed confidential information from police databases to obtain perks and economic benefits.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-29 |title=El Pequeño Nicolás, condenado a cuatro años y tres meses de prisión por acceder a bases de datos policiales |url=https://www.abc.es/espana/pequeno-nicolas-condenado-cuatro-anos-tres-meses-20230329152246-nt.html |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=abc |language=es}}{{Cite web |last=Gálvez |first=J. J. |date=2023-03-29 |title=El Pequeño Nicolás suma su cuarta condena de cárcel |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2023-03-29/el-pequeno-nicolas-suma-su-cuarta-condena-de-carcel.html |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=El País |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-29 |title=Más de cuatro años de cárcel para El Pequeño Nicolás por beneficiarse de datos policiales reservados |url=https://www.elespanol.com/espana/tribunales/20230329/carcel-pequeno-nicolas-beneficiarse-datos-policiales-reservados/752175039_0.html |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=El Español |language=es}}

The above sentences amount in total to twelve years and five months' imprisonment.

References