Who are the 50 investigated people from the PSOE's circle?

MadridAlmost every week a new indictment appears related – more directly or indirectly – to the PSOE. The latest name to emerge is Juan Manuel Serrano, who was president of Correos from 2018 to 2023 and director of Pedro Sánchez's cabinet at Ferraz. His name joins a long list of people – with different levels of responsibility – allegedly involved in fourteen open lines of investigation. The first convicted person was the State Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz, but there are a total of 50 officials related to the Spanish government or the PSOE, members of the Civil Guard, and men who were of Sánchez's utmost confidence who have ended up before a judge. That's up to 109 if we also count the 59 businessmen, family members, and lawyers – and other profiles – indicted in the different open cases.

“Obstructing” judicial cases

8 officials from the PSOE or the Spanish government, 3 lawyers and 3 more investigated

The case that most closely implicates the executive structure and Ferraz is the Leire Díez case. The Prosecutor's Office, for example, believes that Juanma Serrano had a "relevant and preeminent participation" in the alleged plot to torpedo investigations related to the socialist party. This shadow of doubt is added to the indictment of the current leadership of the Civil Guard: the director general and the deputy operational director (DAO). The public prosecutor's office suspects that they used internal records as a “pressure mechanism” against UCO investigators.

The main individuals allegedly involved in the plot to "destabilize and obstruct" judicial investigations are Santos Cerdán and Leire Díez, two names closely linked to the PSOE: the former was number 3 in the party and the right-hand man of the Spanish president until he resigned following the UCO's report on him, and the latter was a socialist militant until she resigned. Those also under investigation are Ana María Fuentes – the current party manager – for document forgery, Juan Sánchez Yepes – Civil Guard captain –, three lawyers with ties to the PSOE, and three other individuals.

6 officials from SEPI, 6 people from public companies and 13 more names

In the same investigation, in the branch concerning "illicit intermediation" in public procurement, Santiago Pedraz has charged the president of SEPI, Belén Gualda, and five other officials from the State's investment arm. Gualda is linked to the rescue of Tubos Reunidos, a Basque company. Despite this, and unlike what happened in the first cases, Moncloa maintains "full confidence" in her. The Civil Guard considers, precisely, that the alleged criminal activity "was primarily deployed" around SEPI.

Among the other names investigated are six people linked to public companies: two executives from ENUSA (the National Uranium Company), two executives from Mercasa (dedicated to the food distribution sector), and two technicians from PEPA (the Principality of Asturias Business Park). Also, the current president of the Central Administrative Court of Contract Appeals and twelve other people from different private companies.

With SEPI in the crosshairs

2 more SEPI positions

The defense in depth is not given in all cases. One of the names closely linked to Leire Díez is Vicente Fernández, who was president of SEPI from 2018 to 2019 and shared the Hirurok group with her and the Basque businessman Antxon Alonso. Two weeks ago, María Jesús Montero, who is the one who chose him when she was Minister of Finance, distanced herself from him: “When someone fails you, you regret having trusted them.” And there is another name from SEPI: Bartolomé Lora. He is the vice-president of the entity and is being investigated by a Madrid court for the Air Europa rescue. He was appointed on September 2017, when Mariano Rajoy was still at Moncloa.

Zapatero, 3 people from his circle and 7 more

The other major rescue tainted by corruption is that of Plus Ultra. This case has brought to light an alleged “organized scheme of illicit exercise of influence” that would be “led” by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who continues to have the full “support” of Moncloa. Also under investigation are his two daughters and his secretary, along with seven other people connected to the airline Plus Ultra.

The multiple branches of the Koldo case

9 officials from the PSOE or the Spanish government, 4 close individuals, 2 civil guards, 8 construction businessmen, and 14 people regarding the purchase of masks

This week, the Koldo case is also on the agenda. The judge emphasizes the plugof José Luis Ábalos's ex-partner in two public companies: must declare this Monday as investigated, she –Jéssica Rodríguez–, along with Koldo García's brother and the former deputy director of administrative management of Adif.

But this is just one of the lines of investigation. A case that has been dormant for some time is the one concerning alleged irregularities in public works tenders. Alongside Santos Cerdán, José Luis Ábalos, Koldo García, and Víctor de Aldama, two names linked to the Ministry of Transport are being investigated: Ana Pardo de Vera, who was president of Adif, and Javier Herrero, who was director general of Roads. In addition, there are eight businessmen indicted.

The original amount is the one related to the purchase of masks. For the moment, there are three convicted by the Supreme Court–Ábalos, Koldo and Aldama–, but the investigation at the National Court remains open with three more former high-ranking officials from the Spanish government under investigation: the Secretary General of Ports of the State, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport and the Director General of People Management of Adif. Also under investigation are a Civil Guard commander and a lieutenant of the armed institute, just like another brother of Ábalos's advisor and his ex-wife.

The two cases of the Sánchez family

2 relatives, 9 officials from the Badajoz Provincial Council, 2 advisors from Moncloa and 1 businessman

There are two names that Pedro Sánchez believes have been persecuted by judges for political reasons: his brother and his wife. They have sentenced David Sánchez to nine years of disqualification,, along with the former leader of the PSOE in Extremadura –Miguel Ángel Gallardo–, a friend of his who had worked at Moncloa –Luis Carrero–, and eight other officials from the Diputación de Badajoz. Begoña Gómez, like her advisor at Moncloa, is one step away from sitting in the dock for embezzlement and influence peddling. And a businessman is also under the scrutiny of Judge Juan Carlos Peinado.