The Supreme Court of Spain continues its investigation into a possible leak of confidential information, with the country’s Attorney General at the center of the case. On the third day of hearings, attention is focused on how government officials and the Madrid branch of the Socialist Party may have been involved in distributing an email containing an admission of tax violations by the partner of the head of the Madrid region.
Among the first to testify was the former leader of the Madrid Socialists, who received a copy of the controversial letter on the morning of March 14, 2024. The document was sent from the phone of the current party organization secretary, who previously worked in the Prime Minister’s office. During questioning, it was revealed that the letter was already in the hands of several media outlets, and its release sparked a wave of discussion and questions among journalists.
The lawyer representing the person accused of tax crimes tried to establish a link between the leak and the highest levels of government. His goal is to prove that the prosecutor’s office and the government acted in concert to strike at their political opponents. That same day, six journalists who published reports on the case also testified. Some of them stated that they had access to the contents of the letter even before it reached the prosecutor.
Journalists and officials under the court’s scrutiny
During the hearings, it was revealed that news of the admission of guilt appeared in the press several hours before the prosecutor received the official email. One journalist prepared a report on the plea deal on the evening of March 13, just minutes before the prosecutor received the corresponding document. According to media representatives, details were discussed in professional group chats involving more than two hundred newsroom employees.
That same day, the head of the prosecutor’s press service stated that confusion had arisen in the information space, forcing the agency to prepare an official statement. However, the head of the Madrid prosecutor’s communications department expressed dissatisfaction with this move, believing that all details had already been made public in the media.
Political fallout and new questions
The chief of staff to the Madrid regional president said he was aware of the tax issues involving the accused even before the prosecutor began gathering information. On the morning of March 13, he received messages from the lawyer outlining an offer to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence.
The defendant himself told the court that he ended up at the center of public attention and felt isolated. At the end of the hearing, the state representative pointed out that several people had access to the disputed letter, making it difficult to identify a single person responsible for the leak. The lawyer also admitted that he sent the letter not only to the prosecutor’s office but also to the state attorney’s address.
