How did the Pujol family's money multiply in Andorra?

San Fernando de HenaresThe legacy of grandfather Florenci has focused the second part of Jordi Pujol Ferrusola's statement at the National Court, which ended up lasting more than six hours. In a session monopolized by the prosecutor's questions, the eldest son of the former president of the Generalitat explained how he managed to multiply grandfather Florenci's legacy: the original 140 million pesetas (0.8 million euros) became six million euros thanks —he repeated fifteen times— to the "financial sheets", a concept he already used in 2015 when he testified in the Barcelona courts. However, eleven years ago, in the Parliament of Catalonia, the CEO of Andbank in Spain, Rafael Gascó, replied that he did not know what they were: "It is the first time I have heard of this instrument in 35 years of banking experience," he said. The eldest son of the former president of the Generalitat has pointed out that in twenty years he made between 20,000 and 25,000 transactions.

"Money is never still, I have money to do things and create financial opportunities," he justified. What he did was buy state treasury bonds – for example, from Finland, Germany or France –, sell them when they matured, "distribute" the profits he extracted, and keep the money until he found "another investment opportunity." However, "at no time" was there a "transfer" of money from Andorra to Spain by his companies as a result of the deals he made, which are under the court's scrutiny. "Never relations with the Generalitat," he made clear at first. And later he reiterated that he did not want to "know anything" about public administrations, "whatever their color." The Prosecutor's Office believes that the money came from illegal commissions in exchange for public contracts, a point that has not been proven and that he was not even asked about.

In 1992, "jointly" with his brothers, he decided he would start to "distribute" the inheritance so that each one would "take responsibility for their part". "I tell them to open a current account at the bank and I will distribute their corresponding share," he has recounted. And when a "financial slip" matured, he would give them their share of the money. This was repeated successively until 2000 and there was a final delivery in 2004.

His parents

Jordi Pujol Ferrusola has also spoken about his parents. About his mother, Marta Ferrusola, he said that the famous manuscript intended for the "Reverend Father" in which she presented herself as the "mother superior" was a "chauffeur letter". "She gave it to me, I took it up and gave it to Mr. Pallerola with her instructions. It was a sealed envelope with what she asked for", he recalled. Josep Maria Pallerola was the family's bank manager.

On the other hand, he has spoken about the famous Banca Reig account 63.810, which held 307 million pesetas. The firstborn handed over a letter stating that the "real owner" of the assets was his father, but it was actually a ploy to avoid having to give half the money to his ex-wife during the divorce.

Josep Pujol and Mercè Gironès

When Jordi Pujol Ferrusola, who refused to answer the State Attorney's Office because he was tired, had finished, it was the turn of his brother Josep Pujol and his ex-wife Mercè Gironès, who only answered their lawyers. The former reviewed the bizarre chronology of a loan he made to businessman Jorge Barrigón – who also sits on the defendant's bench –, denied trying to influence officials to secure public contracts, and assured that he has never had "contact" with administrations.

The latter completely distanced herself from the eldest son's businesses. She agreed to be the administrator of his companies "simply to help him." She signed the contracts, but did so "without reading them" because she "considered that it was well done" and because the partners asked her to, and she did not make decisions or look for clients. And if there were bank papers with her signature as authorized, it was because she signed "blank papers." "I have never controlled what has come in, what has gone out, and what has been done," she assured. And she said that she never spoke with any businessman about invoices or payments. In fact, she "didn't even have the key" nor did she know the password for the alarm at the office on Ganduxer street.