Spain is in the midst of a large-scale investigation centered on former PSOE member Leire Díez and ex-director of the state company SEPI, Vicente Fernández Guerrero. Authorities suspect that between 2021 and 2023, they orchestrated a complex scheme to secure illegal commissions by leveraging their connections with officials and public institutions. The total value of the five transactions under court scrutiny exceeds 132 million euros.
Investigators believe that the money flowed through Mediaciones Martínez S.L., with more than 750,000 euros paid in fees for brokering the deals. Vicente Fernández is thought to have played a pivotal role in the scheme, using his position to influence decisions within government bodies. His appointment as SEPI director in 2018 gave him access to key contacts and avenues for manipulation.
The case also involves a group called ‘Hirurok’ (Basque for ‘the three of us’), which, in addition to Díez and Fernández, included Joseba Antxon Alonso. Investigators say Alonso is connected to Servinabar S.L., a company partly owned by former PSOE organizational secretary Santos Cerdán. This company is already under investigation in another case involving alleged fraud with public contracts.
Five suspicious transactions
The court’s attention was drawn to five transactions involving companies controlled by SEPI. The largest was the allocation of €112.8 million to rescue Tubos Reunidos S.A. Investigators believe that the Hirurok group took steps to secure this aid and, for their services, received almost €115,000 via Mediaciones Martínez.
The second transaction was an €18,000 contract awarded by Mercasa, a company operating in the food sector. Here, the suspects allegedly orchestrated a change of the company’s legal address, after which Servinabar received a contract to prepare a technical report that investigators deem unnecessary and containing false information.
The third case involves the Asturias Entrepreneurial Park (PEPA), where a consortium of companies, including Erriberri and Afesa Medioambiente, won a €2.8 million tender. Investigators allege that the Dies group secured Erriberri’s victory in exchange for a €400,000 payment.
Links with state companies
The fourth deal concerns the state-owned company Enusa, where Leire Dies worked in the communications department. This time, the case involves a contract with the law firm Carrillo y Montes, signed when Acciona showed interest in two Enusa facilities—a waste incineration plant in Melilla and a waste processing center in Castellón. Investigators believe the Hirurok group arranged this contract for financial gain, and Mediaciones Martínez received €17,500 for brokering the deal.
The fifth operation involved the allocation of €17.32 million by Sepides (Sociedad Estatal de Promoción Industrial y Desarrollo Empresarial) to Arapellet, part of the Forestalia group. According to investigators, the suspects influenced Sepides officials to secure the funding, for which they received €200,000. A significant portion of this amount was invested in real estate in Marbella and Jaca, with the investments registered as joint ventures, while some of the funds were distributed among participants individually.
Key figures and details
The case also involves former head of the state company Enusa, José Vicente Berlanga, who is considered a trusted associate of former minister José Luis Ábalos. He was not detained during the recent major operation, which included 19 searches across the country.
Investigators note that the members of the scheme were meticulous in observing precautions to keep their activities confidential. For example, Vicente Fernández, who worked at Servinabar from 2021 to 2023, received over €128,000 from the company. Authorities believe the period of criminal activity lasted at least two years, with the network spanning various regions and several state agencies.
