The Supreme Court of Spain (Tribunal Supremo) has transferred the case materials concerning financial operations within the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) to the National Court (Audiencia Nacional). The case focuses on cash payments made between 2017 and 2021. The main figure in the investigation is former party treasurer Mariano Moreno Pavón, who has denied all allegations of irregularities in disbursing funds to politicians, including former minister José Luis Ábalos, during questioning.
Moreno gave a detailed account of how the money was moved: funds were transported from the bank to the office on Ferraz Street with the help of a security company. He explained that large €500 bills were not used as they were unsuitable for the cash register’s needs. However, the judge questioned the effectiveness of this control method, noting that bank transfers would have been more transparent.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that the cash withdrawal limit was €1,000, and following recommendations from the Court of Auditors (Tribunal de Cuentas), additional controls were introduced. Nevertheless, the court raised doubts about the effectiveness of these measures since it was not always clear who actually spent the money, and the signature on the application merely confirmed spending approval.
New details and testimonies
Particular attention was drawn to the testimony of businesswoman Carmen Pano, who stated that at the request of intermediary Víctor de Aldama, she twice delivered large sums of cash—amounting to a total of €90,000—to the party’s office. She did not know who the money was intended for or what its purpose was. These circumstances have raised additional questions for the investigation.
The anti-corruption prosecutor asked why €500 notes were not used. The former manager once again emphasized that such banknotes were not utilized for cash transactions related to employees’ petty expenses.
The investigation is ongoing
After obtaining new evidence, the judge forwarded the materials to the National Court for further investigation into possible violations involving cash handling within the party’s accounts. A separate part of the case has now been opened, and the prosecutor’s office is expected to deliver its findings, which will determine the investigation’s next steps. Questions about transparency and oversight of the party’s financial flows remain unresolved, and the public is awaiting further details.
