The illegal commission audio recordings: “I don’t want this to be talked about, enough!”
Cerdán, Koldo, and Ábalos discuss envelopes containing money, awards, and preferential treatment for family members and lovers.
BarcelonaThe Civil Guard report unravels a series of audio recordings extracted from Koldo García's cell phone, revealing the conspiracy of three PSOE leaders—Koldo himself, José Luis Ábalos, and Santos Cerdán—to allegedly manipulate public contracts and collect illegal commissions from companies. ARA has had access to these recordings, which were held by the UCO (University of Cordoba), and we explain the most relevant details below.
"Five projects must be awarded to Acciona, Sacyr, or Ferrovial."
Ábalos-Koldo Conversation, April 9, 2019
The oldest audio recording in the report is from April 9, 2019, less than a year after Ábalos arrived at Transport. In the recording, a conversation can be heard between the minister and his advisor in which they discuss the distribution of contracts awarded by the ministry and the payments and debts in exchange for these projects. García mentions four contracts, of which "two have been resolved," and adds: "We have 210 and 210 more remain." For investigators, this refers to two commissions of 210,000 euros. Later, García explains how he has complained to Cerdán about the "pressure" they are receiving, also from him, "because of the Logroño issue and the Seville issue," referring to certain projects.
At another point, he refers to "14 Adif projects" and tells the minister that "Isabel" has told him that "five should be awarded to Acciona, Sacyr, or Ferrovial." For the UCO, this Isabel is Isabel Pardo de Vera, former president of Adif. "Talk to Santos," Ábalos tells García about these contracts. In the recording, they also mention Víctor de Aldama, a businessman involved in the scheme. García says that Pardo and Javier Herrero, former director general of Highways, "must give him something" for his mediation. At another point, the two discuss the lovers they exchanged during a "discreet" weekend.
"I need money, none"
Koldo-Cerdán Conversation, April 22, 2019
This audio recording is from a meeting between García and Santos Cerdán. At the beginning of the conversation, García tells him that Pedro Saura, who was Secretary of State for Transport at the time, is putting obstacles in the way of "the Seville project," referring, according to the UCO report, to the construction of the Centenario Bridge in the Andalusian capital. They also mention a project "above Tarragona," which, according to the police report, is a confusion regarding the bidding process. from an Adif file in Sant Feliu de Llobregat. At the end of the conversation, García asks Cerdán for money: "I need money, none. [...] Will you help me?" And Cerdán replies: "Damn, man, with whatever I can."
"A lot of fear and concern"
Koldo-Santos Conversation, January 21, 2021
A few months before Ábalos' dismissal, tension was already palpable between the protagonists of the alleged plot. García acknowledges that Ábalos had told him that Cerdán was "very afraid and worried" about the possibility that he, as the minister's advisor, was soliciting money on his own to secure public contracts. He mentions the companies Ferrovial and Sacyr. "Well, I admit that 47 companies have been through there, and I've helped all of them. They've given me gules, champagne, wine, a ham," he acknowledges. There is also talk of payments worth 1.07 million to the Ábalos-Koldo tandem, which allegedly received Cerdán's endorsement. García complains about the organization secretary's suspicions: "I haven't asked for a cent [...]. I'm very happy with what I have. If you want, from now on I'm no longer the intermediary, and you can hand it over to each other."
"I don't want this to be talked about, enough!"
Ábalos-Koldo-Cerdán Conversation, January 21, 2021
The following audio captures a three-way conversation between Ábalos, Cerdán, and García in which the former advisor updates them on his maneuvers: "He was given 450 in three envelopes," he explains. Throughout, key details about the recipients of the envelopes are omitted, but it's clear they're talking about a distribution. At one point in the conversation, fed up, Cerdán interrupts and says: "I don't want anyone to talk about that, enough!" All three are concerned about the growing "noise" surrounding them and speculate that there are voices inflating information that bothers them.
Once Cerdán and the minister's former right-hand man are alone, the PSOE's number three tells García that he has tried to quell rumors regarding some financial transaction he has made: "They told me and I said [...] 'I know you've inherited some money and such...' I said this and it left a rumour, but of course, from Andalusia..." At this point, García jumps in and says: "In Euskadi it's Morales, the son of a bitch talks to Isabel directly to get things done." Cerdán insists that "the noise has to stop" and García tries to reassure him by saying that he will be discreet. While he laments that he "has helped everyone," Cerdán agrees: "We are used and, afterward, some people talk. It's a very son of a bitch world."
"Jose has one hand in front and the other behind"
Koldo-Cerdán Conversation, February 22, 2022
On February 22, 2022, García and Cerdán meet to discuss the illegal commissions owed to Ábalos from contracts awarded in the provinces of Seville, Barcelona, and Logroño. García insists that Ábalos is "sitting on nothing" despite earning €5,000 a month from his divorce with his wife, who spends "about €3,000 or €4,000 a month on Visa." Koldo also demands his share of the pie and asks Cerdán for some personal "favors": to find work for his wife and brother for a few months, until they can combine unemployment benefits with retirement when they have reached the minimum contributions. He also asks for work for his lover, Nicole, and proposes playing a trick on a Correos executive to get him into trouble.
The audio also reveals confusion within the party, according to García, over Pedro Sánchez's "stubbornness" in removing Ábalos from the government in 2021. "José is not corrupt [...]. There's no evidence he's taken a single penny," he says. He openly claims that the government is working on projects and pending payments that are allegedly related. Cerdán ends the conversation by agreeing to pressure Ábalos to be paid: "I'm going to demand everything from them."
"What I've done for you is child's play compared to what I've done for him."
Koldo-Ábalos Conversation, November 23, 2023
Barely a week after Pedro Sánchez's last investiture, Koldo García and José Luis Ábalos meet in a restaurant. The atmosphere is tense: the two men involved in the plot are angry with Santos Cerdán over an outstanding debt. According to the recording, the former PSOE organization secretary owes Ábalos €450,000 and García €135,000. To resolve the issue, Koldo García repeatedly proposes that Santos Cerdán get them two public works contracts. "Have Santos meet with me for five minutes and I'll get you the €450,000 in a month. I know how to do it," Koldo tells the former minister.
García also accuses Santos of having told the "boss" that the Prosecutor's Office was investigating him. "I think so too," Ábalos replies. Minutes later, García returns to the attack: "Santos is a son of a bitch who doesn't pick up the phone after everything I've done for him and I guarantee you that you can't even imagine. Because the things I've done for you are child's play compared to him. [...] I'm fed up with it. He thinks that, of course, since I'm stupid, from a small town, from the mountains and very dirty, I'm capable of breaking a man's legs so he'll ask me for it." There are also references to a certain "gos". "The thing about the gos I'll fix it for you, I give you my word," García says to Ábalos. Later, he uses the same noun again: "I have to get Santos to comply and, in the meantime, find a strategy to screw the gos".
"I have done savage things"
Koldo-Cerdán Conversation, December 12, 2023
In the longer audio, García explains to Cerdán that he offered to explain to the Civil Guard where his savings came from and how he was paying his mortgage when he realized he was being followed by car. He also complains to Cerdán about being left out and having to "hide in a corner" after doing "things" that Sánchez asked him to do "through José." He also talks about the fact that not only he is being investigated, but also several officials such as the former minister and current president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa—whom he says he talks a lot with. Chili, whom he knows—and a total of 28 people. He also mentions his contact with former Socialist ministers Pepe Bono and Pepe Blanco: "They came to ask me for everything." And he implicates and slanders Pardo de Vera again, while commenting that he "sent" something to the Spanish president, when he comments on the judicial investigations into the mask case.
García, however, also has time to settle accounts with himself: "I've been the most shameless man, I've done outrageous things, I've done everything, things like... I just want to be with my wife and my daughter." He also mentions two loans he has, worth €180,000 and €110,000, and that he needs to take one out. He speaks of the possibility of starting "a company outside," at which point he mentions an income of €150,000 a year, and also mentions future contracts. For this reason, he mentions a consultancy firm and Renfe, freight, and ports. On the other hand, he tells Cerdán that he would get a commission for someone of an unspecified amount.
