The La Bola bar-restaurant, located on Cartuja Island in Seville, has unexpectedly found itself at the center of a high-profile investigation. Law enforcement authorities are focusing not only on the establishment’s financial records, but also on its ties to former political elites and business figures previously connected to the Socialist Party.
Members of the Central Operative Unit of the Civil Guard are investigating La Bola for possible use as a vehicle for laundering illegally obtained funds. Those implicated in the case include former Socialist Leire Díez, Navarre businessman Antxon Alonso—a close associate of former PSOE leader Santos Cerdán—and Vicente Fernández Guerrero, the former president of the State Society for Industrial Participations (SEPI).
Owners and finances
La Bola is officially owned by the company La Bola Innovación, where since June 2023 the sole administrator has been Fernández Guerrero. Previously, the business was managed by his partner, who had run it since its founding in 2014. Up until 2020, the establishment posted modest financial results, but when the former SEPI head took over, revenues surged—jumping 30% over the previous year and reaching nearly 387,000 euros.
This income spike raised suspicions among investigators. On Thursday afternoon, when journalists tried to request comments, the bar was empty and staff declined to engage. After leaving SEPI in 2019, Fernández Guerrero worked in various cities and collaborated with law firms on individual projects. As part of the investigation, representatives of the Civil Guard also visited the legal firm SDP Estudio Legal to obtain further information.
Connections to other companies
From 2021 to 2023, Fernández Guerrero served as an external consultant for Servinabar 2000, a firm linked to Anchon Alonso and Santos Serdán. This company was also scrutinized by investigators over suspected manipulation in the awarding of government contracts. According to case files, Fernández Guerrero received 68,632 euros from Servinabar in 2021 and 33,251 euros in 2023. In 2022, taxes withheld from his earnings totaled 40,800 euros.
In addition, the former SEPI president heads the consulting firm Allies & Altera SL, as well as Goloso 25 SL, which specializes in real estate operations in Marbella. As of 2024, the combined capital and liabilities of Goloso 25 SL exceed one million euros. Fernández Guerrero manages the company together with other partners.
Investigation details
Investigators are examining whether La Bola bar was used as a means to launder funds obtained through corruption schemes. Attention is being paid not only to the establishment’s financial flows but also to the owners’ ties to other companies and individuals involved in the case. In particular, possible points of intersection between La Bola, Servinabar 2000, and the legal entities associated with Fernández Guerrero are being investigated.
For now, the bar’s staff are avoiding contact with the press, and those involved in the case have not made any public statements. The investigation is ongoing, and new details may emerge soon.
