Madeleine McCann Investigator Reveals His Theory About Her Disappearance Nearly 20 Years Later

Nearly two decades after Madeleine McCann disappeared during a family holiday in Portugal, private investigator Julian Peribañez says he remains determined to find answers.

Madeleine was just three years old when she vanished from the family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in May 2007. Despite years of searches, police investigations and numerous theories, what happened to her has never been conclusively established.

Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have continued seeking answers and raising awareness about their daughter’s disappearance. Madeleine would now be in her early 20s.

For Peribañez, the case has become a personal mission that has continued long after he first became involved.

Brought in by Madeleine’s Parents

The Spanish investigator was hired by Madeleine’s parents approximately a year after she disappeared. Since then, he has continued pursuing leads independently in the hope of discovering what happened.

His work also led him to investigate broader issues involving child abuse and exploitation.

In 2024, he founded Guardianes de la Inocencia, an organization focused on exposing child abuse and protecting vulnerable children. Peribañez has said that his work on Madeleine’s case helped inspire the organization.

“And of course, Guardianes came from Maddie as well,” he told The Olive Press.

Despite the years that have passed, he says he has not abandoned the search for answers.

“All I Need Is a Name”

Peribañez has developed his own theory that Madeleine may have been abducted by an organized Eastern European trafficking network. He is now appealing to people in Portugal’s Algarve region who may have information about individuals he believes could be connected to such a group.

He has urged anyone with potentially relevant information to come forward.

“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.”

The investigator has also acknowledged that he does not know whether Madeleine is still alive.

“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 statements reflect his personal theory and determination to continue investigating. However, his proposed trafficking-network explanation has not been established as fact.

Trafficking Theories Have Circulated for Years

The possibility that Madeleine was abducted and taken out of Portugal has been discussed since the early stages of the investigation.

Various theories have suggested that she could have been transported abroad, including toward Morocco. Reports of possible sightings and unverified information about organized trafficking groups have also contributed to speculation over the years.

However, no evidence cited in the report establishes that Madeleine was taken by a trafficking network.

Peribañez is now advancing his own version of that theory, which points toward an alleged Eastern European organization. His claims remain separate from the findings of official investigators.

German Authorities Focus on Christian Brückner

One of the most prominent developments in the investigation has involved Christian Brückner, whom German authorities have identified as their main suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance.

Brückner was released from Sehnde prison in Germany in September 2026 after serving a seven-year sentence for an unrelated rape committed in Portugal in 2005.

That crime occurred in Praia da Luz, the same area where Madeleine disappeared two years later.

His release has renewed attention on the unresolved case, but the allegations concerning Madeleine remain distinct from his conviction for the earlier offence.

Meanwhile, Peribañez continues to pursue his own leads, hoping that someone with relevant information will come forward.

Almost 20 years after Madeleine vanished, the central question remains unanswered: what happened to the little girl who disappeared during a family holiday in Portugal? Until reliable evidence provides a definitive explanation, competing theories remain unconfirmed.