The now-official suspect of Madeline McCann's disappearance, Christian Brueckner, has broken his silence for the first time in a five-page letter, lashing out at claims that he was involved.
In 2020 he was named by German prosecutors as the man responsible for Madeline's abduction and murder.
And on Friday the 45-year-old was made an 'arguido' - meaning named suspect or formal suspect - by Portuguese authorities. It's the first time anyone has been formally designated an official suspect in the case since McCann's parents were named suspects after her disappearance in 2007. They were later cleared due to a lack of evidence.
Brueckner has been linked to four other child murders across Europe since 1996, and in his letter he described himself as "the most known bad person in the world".
"Welcome to the biggest adventure you can imagine," he said.
Brueckner said in his letter he had no involvement with Madeline's abduction in 2007.
"I wasn't kidnapping anybody and of course, I wasn't killing anybody," he wrote.
"I'll go further, I'll tell you I wasn't attacking anybody after I was 18."
Brueckner admitted he made some "silly mistakes" when he was younger but asked who hadn't.
"Drug dealer, breaking into houses, living in cars and there was something with kids when I was 17."
He added authorities have no evidence that proves his involvement, the Daily Mail reported.
"But they had not even one proof that I was involved with the McCann case. And they still don't have it," he said.
"I know why. Because they have no hairs or anything from Maddie what means that nobody can put anything like that into my stuff to find it.
"The idea behind that all perhaps was to make the BKA (German police) and German prosecutor famous as well known all over the world as the smartest organisation ever."
He claimed he knows of five open cases against him which include rape and abuse.
"They have manipulated the truth in such an unprofessional way that I am laughing," he added.
"I still have not lost my sense of humour. Even in this critical situation. This is what keeps me alive."
The letter was written in his German prison cell where Brueckner is currently serving seven years for rape. It was sent to a woman who the Daily Mail has agreed not to identify.
