In Madrid, National Court judge Antonio Piña has decided to release three suspects in a high-profile corruption case on condition that they do not leave the area. The individuals are former Socialist Leire Díez, former SEPI president Vicente Fernández, and Basque businessman Antxon Alonso. All three were detained this week as part of a large-scale operation conducted by the Civil Guard’s Central Operational Unit.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, the only party involved at this stage of the investigation, demanded precautionary measures: regular court appearances and the surrender of passports. The judge declined to impose stricter conditions, as the prosecution did not insist on it. Of the three, only Fernández agreed to answer questions, while Díez and Alonso exercised their right to remain silent.
Investigation details
The operation has been named ‘Leire’—after the first person detained, who is known in political circles as Ferraz’s ‘plumber.’ She is already involved in another case in one of Madrid’s courts, where she is suspected of trying to pressure officials investigating government corruption. However, the current arrest is tied to suspicions of fraud in the awarding of government contracts.
The second person involved, Vicente Fernández, previously headed SEPI as an appointee of the Pedro Sánchez government, but resigned in 2019 over a separate corruption scandal linked to the Aznalcóllar mine in Sevilla. He was recently acquitted in that case. Fernández is considered close to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister María Jesús Montero.
The third detainee, Anxón Alonso, is known as a business partner of former PSOE Organization Secretary Santos Cerdán. After Fernández left SEPI, Alonso invited him to join his company, Servinabar, which became central to another corruption case — ‘Koldo’ — involving illicit commissions for government contracts.
Network of influence
Investigators believe the group used their connections within government agencies to further the interests of certain companies. Among these are SEPI, where Fernández worked, Enusa, where Díez spent three years, and Correos, which she joined later. Suspects also include former Enusa chief José Vicente Berlanga. The case involves more than ten individuals in total.
According to the investigation, the suspects acted as intermediaries in the allocation of contracts, receiving kickbacks in return. The money passed through Servinabar and other firms. The full scope of the group’s activities remains unclear—much depends on the results of searches and document seizures carried out over the past three days.
Charges and searches
The investigation is being conducted by the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office. The case involves suspicions of abuse of authority, embezzlement, influence peddling, and forming a criminal organization. On Thursday and Friday, searches were carried out at the offices of Forestalia in Madrid and Zaragoza, as well as at SEPI, Mercasa, Conaudure, and Enusa. Civil Guard officers also seized documents at Correos and at the ministries of finance and ecological transition.
On Saturday morning, all three suspects were brought to court in Civil Guard vehicles. The hearing started late, with Leire Díez answering questions first. The court adopted the measures proposed by the prosecution and released all three on their own recognizance, prohibiting them from leaving the country.
