MADELEINE McCANN INVESTIGATOR VOWS “I WON’T STOP LOOKING” AS HE SHARES NEW THEORY ABOUT EASTERN EUROPEAN TRAFFICKING NETWORK
Nearly 20 years after three-year-old Madeleine disappeared in Portugal, Spanish private investigator Julian Peribañez says he is still pursuing leads. He believes an organised trafficking network may have been involved, but his theory has not been confirmed by police.
A private investigator who once worked for Madeleine McCann’s parents has made an emotional promise to continue searching for answers, nearly two decades after the little girl vanished during a family holiday in Portugal.
Julian Peribañez, a Spanish investigator who joined the team hired by Kate and Gerry McCann in 2008, says he has no intention of abandoning the case.
In a recent interview with Spanish newspaper The Olive Press, Peribañez discussed his continuing investigation, his latest theory about what may have happened to Madeleine and the reason he remains determined to uncover the truth.
His comments have brought renewed attention to one of the world’s most widely followed missing-child cases.
“I don’t know if she’s alive or not, because hardly anyone on Earth does,” he said.
“But as long as I have hope, I won’t stop looking.”
HIS THEORY POINTS TO AN EASTERN EUROPEAN TRAFFICKING NETWORK
One of the most striking aspects of Peribañez’s latest comments is his belief that Madeleine may have been abducted by an organised Eastern European trafficking group operating in Portugal’s Algarve region.
He says his own investigations and fieldwork have led him to focus on a particular network that he believes was active in the area before Madeleine disappeared in May 2007.
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Peribañez has not publicly identified the individuals he suspects may have been involved.
Instead, he is appealing to people who lived or worked in the Algarve at the time to come forward if they remember encounters or information that could help establish what happened.
“If you’ve had encounters with people who fit the profile, please reach out,” he said.
“All I need is a name. Give me a name, and I’ll chase it wherever I have to.”
It is important to note that this is Peribañez’s personal investigative theory. Police have not confirmed that an Eastern European trafficking network was responsible for Madeleine’s disappearance, and no official finding has established such a connection. <Cite refs={[“turn320027search1″,”turn320027search2”]}/>
A DISAPPEARANCE THAT SHOCKED THE WORLD
Madeleine was just three years old when she disappeared on May 3, 2007, from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal.
Her parents had been dining with friends at a nearby restaurant while Madeleine and her younger twin siblings were asleep in the apartment.
The adults took turns checking on the children throughout the evening.
At around 10 p.m., Kate McCann discovered that Madeleine was missing. An international search followed, attracting worldwide attention and generating thousands of investigative leads.
Despite years of inquiries involving Portuguese, British and German authorities, Madeleine has never been found.
Her disappearance remains unresolved.
THE INVESTIGATOR DISAGREES WITH THE OFFICIAL LINE OF INQUIRY
German authorities identified convicted 𝘴єx offender Christian Brückner as a suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance in 2020.
However, he has never been charged in connection with her disappearance and has denied involvement.
Peribañez has questioned the focus on Brückner and continues to pursue alternative lines of inquiry.
In another recent development, Brückner’s lawyers confirmed that round-the-clock police surveillance of him was due to end on October 30, 2026, although he remains subject to other supervision measures, including electronic monitoring.
The change does not mean that the investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance has been solved or that Brückner has been cleared of suspicion.
THE CASE THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE
Peribañez’s involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance had a lasting impact on his career.
After joining the investigation team funded by her parents, he became increasingly involved in cases concerning child exploitation and 𝘢bu𝘴e.
He later founded Guardianes de la Inocencia, an organisation focused on protecting vulnerable children.
He also wrote Stolen Innocence: The Price of Power, a book examining major child exploitation scandals and the wider failures that can allow 𝘢bu𝘴e to continue.
Explaining the connection between his work and Madeleine’s disappearance, he told The Olive Press:
“This book came from Maddie. Her story is not in it, but it all stemmed from my search for her.”
His work has since expanded beyond one case, but he says the search for Madeleine remains an important part of his life.
“AS LONG AS I HAVE HOPE, I WON’T STOP LOOKING”
Nearly 20 years have passed since Madeleine disappeared, yet the questions surrounding her fate remain unanswered.
Peribañez is urging anyone who lived, worked or spent time in Portugal’s Algarve region before May 2007 to consider whether they might have information that could help investigators.
He believes even one name or overlooked detail could provide a new direction.
His trafficking theory remains unverified, and there has been no confirmed breakthrough announced by police.
For Madeleine’s family, the wait for answers continues.
A little girl disappeared during what should have been an ordinary family holiday. Her family has spent almost two decades living with uncertainty, while people around the world continue to hope that one day the truth will emerge.
And for Julian Peribañez, the search is not over.
“As long as I have hope, I won’t stop looking.”
eribañez has not publicly identified the individuals he
