A major new investigation is underway at Spain’s National Court (Audiencia Nacional): Judge Santiago Pedraz has been appointed to lead a case into alleged fraud involving government contracts. At the center of the probe are former PSOE activist Leire Díez, former SEPI president Vicente Fernández, and Servinabar owner Antxon Alonso. Investigators suspect the trio may have received illegal payments for brokering public contracts.
The case began with a series of raids and arrests. After the suspects were brought before the court, acting judge Antonio Piña transferred the materials to permanent proceedings. Following a random assignment, the investigation landed in the Fifth Central Investigative Court, headed by Judge Pedraz. At this stage, the details of the case remain classified, and all involved have been released on bail with travel restrictions.
Suspects and charges
The list of suspects includes not only former officials and businesspeople, but also individuals previously implicated in other corruption scandals. Investigators believe Díez, Fernández, and Alonso formed a group named Hirurok (which means ‘the three of us’ in Basque) to carry out illegal financial transactions. According to authorities, the trio may have received at least €750,000 through five suspicious deals.
The investigation is also examining connections to other high-profile cases. For example, Judge Pedras is already handling a VAT fraud case in the oil products market, involving the broker Víctor de Aldama and Villafuel owner Claudio Rivas. That case concerns potential losses to the budget of around 200 million euros.
Restrictive measures
After being held for three days at a Civil Guard facility, the suspects appeared before a judge. They were ordered to report to court every two weeks, had their passports confiscated, and were banned from leaving Spain. These measures were requested by the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office, which is currently the only party prosecuting the case since the investigation materials remain classified.
The investigation is ongoing, and so far neither side is revealing any details. It is only known that the charges involve suspected embezzlement of public funds, abuse of office, and forming a criminal organization. All three individuals remain under investigation but are not in custody.
Case background
SEPI (Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales) is a government company managing assets in Spain’s strategic economic sectors. Any suspicions of corruption within this structure attract widespread public attention. In this case, the allegations concern possible kickbacks in awarding contracts, potentially implicating several major companies.
The case has attracted even more attention because among the suspects are former high-ranking officials and individuals linked to political parties. Investigators are checking whether similar schemes were widespread in other state institutions as well.
Next steps
Judge Pedras has already started reviewing the case materials. New interrogations are expected soon, along with possible additional searches. Investigators aim to determine the scale of the scheme and identify who else may have been involved in distributing illegal commissions.
So far, none of the suspects have admitted guilt. The defense insists there is no evidence, while the prosecution continues to collect materials. New details are expected in the coming months, which may shed light on corruption mechanisms in Spain’s state-owned companies.
