Financial transactions linked to former PSOE Organization Secretary Santos Cerdán have become the focus of a major investigation. Judge Leopoldo Puente has ordered the politician’s release from custody, stating that the risk of evidence tampering has diminished following the latest UCO report. Although the court has not yet received a final analysis of Cerdán’s assets, investigators are already certain: at least €181,000 was siphoned off through questionable deals, rental payments, furniture purchases, and personal expenses.
Corruption network: from Navarra to the Ministry of Transport
The Cerdán case unveils a complex scheme that began in Navarra, where the politician started his career. The network later extended to the Ministry of Transport, headed by José Luis Ábalos. Attention has centered on the company Servinabar, in which Cerdán owned nearly half the shares. According to investigators, large sums passed through this company, coming from construction firms, especially Acciona. Suspects are believed to have received kickbacks in exchange for influencing contract awards.
The UCO notes that almost €9 million has passed through Servinabar since 2015, 75% of which is linked to Acciona. Investigators are convinced that Cerdán and his family benefited from these funds, and the actual amounts involved may be much higher than detected.
Expenses on holidays, restaurants, and travel
An analysis of bank transactions revealed numerous expenses for travel and entertainment. In August 2023, Serdán and his family traveled to Tenerife, where he used the Servinabar card to pay for everything from restaurants at Madrid airport to accommodation at the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel. Over the week spent in the Canary Islands, the card was used more than ten times, covering sunbed rentals, fuel, and dinners at upscale venues.
A similar pattern emerged during a vacation in Ibiza in 2022. The Serdán family arrived on the island by ferry from Dénia, where restaurant expenses were also recorded. Over the ten-day stay in Ibiza, the Servinabar card was used sixteen times, including for supermarket purchases, car refueling, and dining at popular restaurants. Even on the day they returned to Dénia, there were new charges.
From 2022 to 2024, the card was regularly used to pay for lunches at the Sazadón restaurant on Gaztambide street in Madrid, totaling over 7,000 euros. Similar expenses were recorded in Málaga, Seville, and even Serdán’s hometown, Milagro.
Housing rentals, furniture, and employment for relatives
The investigation found that Servinabar paid for the rental of two apartments for Serdán in Madrid: one on Cardenal Cisneros street and a penthouse on Hilarión Eslava. For the latter, around 45,000 euros was paid in rent from 2018 to 2025. In addition, the company covered property management services and furniture purchases, including major spending at El Corte Inglés and specialty stores.
Special attention has been paid to the employment of the politician’s relatives. Serdán’s sister, Belén, received payments from Servinabar in 2020, and was then allegedly employed by another cooperative connected to the case. Investigators believe the total amount paid could be significantly higher, but exact figures have not yet been obtained due to lack of access to the cooperative’s banking documents.
