In the courtroom of the Audiencia Nacional, lawyer Mario Pestana found himself under intense scrutiny. His interrogation lasted nearly an hour, during which he repeatedly denied involvement in any illegal operations. When questioned about receiving cash, handling cryptocurrencies, and creating companies in Panama, Pestana gave evasive answers, insisting that his role was exclusively to legalize clients’ funds. However, Judge Francisco de Jorge and the anti-narcotics prosecutor were clearly dissatisfied with his explanations.
Pestana is among the key suspects in a major money laundering and drug trafficking case allegedly masterminded by Ignacio Torán and police inspector Óscar Sánchez. The latter was arrested with a massive amount of cash—over 20 million euros, part of which was hidden in the walls of his house. Investigators believe Pestana was responsible for devising complex financial structures to legitimize the illicit proceeds.
Court Doubts
During questioning, Pestana insisted he was unaware of the illegal origin of his clients’ funds. He claimed his work was limited to creating companies and bringing their tax records into order. According to him, Torán and Sánchez were his clients, and the money they sought to legalize allegedly came from VTC licensing businesses, real estate, and lotteries.
However, the judge and prosecutor made no secret of their skepticism. They were alarmed by the transfer of funds through offshore companies in Panama, Sweden, and Poland. Pestana admitted that Sánchez was rushing to legalize the funds but insisted he was unaware of their true origins. The judge asked directly: why use Panama to legalize the funds when you can simply declare the income to the Spanish tax authorities? Pestana’s answer was unconvincing, only deepening the court’s suspicions.
Money laundering scheme
The investigation found that the company Pumba Gestión, established in spring 2024, became a key element in the money laundering operation. Officially, the company was managed by a relative of Sánchez, but in reality, all decisions were made by the inspector himself. Pestana claimed he did not know her and discussed all matters only with Sánchez. He also denied helping to transfer large sums of cash abroad.
According to case files, Torán paid Sánchez for protection and assistance in organizing drug shipments. One of the incidents involved the largest-ever cocaine seizure in Spanish history—13 tons were intercepted in Algeciras. For his services, Sánchez received huge commissions, which he then tried to legalize through complex financial schemes, including the use of companies in Panama, Sweden, and Poland.
Operation details
Pestaña stated that Sánchez asked him to transfer money, allegedly obtained from the sale of VTC licenses, to Panama. Two companies were used for this purpose—one in Sweden and another in Poland. According to the lawyer, the scheme copied a similar structure previously used by Torán to move funds from Dubai to Spain via Panama and a Spanish company specializing in managing foreign assets.
The judge was surprised by the complexity of the scheme and asked Pestaña: why use offshore companies to legalize the funds instead of simply declaring the income in Spain? The lawyer was unable to provide a clear answer, raising even more questions for the court.
Unconvincing answers
During questioning, Pestaña denied receiving cash or helping Sánchez transfer millions of euros. He cited a lack of time to file tax returns in Spain and insisted he hadn’t dealt with cryptocurrencies, despite the case file containing correspondence with instructions on handling digital assets.
Pestaña also described an incident when Sánchez sent him a screenshot of a bank transaction for an amount he initially thought was two million euros, but it turned out to be two billion. Even the banker in Panama, to whom the lawyer forwarded the message, was bewildered by this episode.
The judge asked whether Pestana recommends similar offshore company schemes and nominee directors to other clients. The attorney assured the court that he does not do so and that this situation was an exception.
