The investigation into the so-called 'Leire Díez' case has intensified. The Guardia Civil's Unidad Central Operativa (UCO) is seeking judicial permission to access and examine the mobile phones of three PSOE employees. The request, submitted to National Court Judge Santiago Pedraz, targets Ana María Fuentes Pacheco, identified in reporting as the party's manager, as well as Covadonga S. P. P. and Celia R. A., both administrative staff. Their devices were seized during a police operation in May that included searches at the PSOE's national headquarters on Ferraz Street and the collection of internal documents.
The UCO says evidence points to the involvement of several people within the party's structure. Investigators believe communications on the confiscated phones could clarify each person's role and potentially reveal instructions from higher-ranking figures. Police say they seized the devices as a precaution and have held them in custody pending judicial review. The UCO is now seeking explicit authorization to make forensic copies and analyze their contents as the probe continues.
The National Court investigation examines allegations of a network set up to obtain compromising information about judges, prosecutors and Guardia Civil investigators, discredit witnesses, and obstruct politically sensitive proceedings. The case includes former PSOE member Leire Díez, former PSOE Organization Secretary Santos Cerdán and businessman Javier Pérez Dolset, among others. Investigators are also examining alleged links to public-sector companies and the Hirurok group, reportedly involving Díez, former SEPI president Vicente Fernández and Antxon Alonso, Cerdán's partner in Servinabar. The allegations remain under investigation and have not been established by a final judgment.
Investigators are examining whether party resources were used to finance the alleged activities, including payments linked to legal services. The UCO reportedly attributes approximately €188,000 in PSOE payments to the network allegedly linked to Díez. That figure is an investigative allegation, not a judicially established loss or illicit payment. The inquiry is also examining whether lawyers Jacobo Teijelo and Ismael Oliver were used to channel funds, and whether services and payments were documented through potentially false professional engagement notes and invoices.
Ana María Fuentes Pacheco reportedly told Judge Pedraz that Cerdán made the decision to hire Teijelo and Oliver. The UCO attributes to Fuentes a role in processing professional engagement notes that investigators consider potentially false. The party has reportedly said professional secrecy and confidentiality prevent it from providing certain records. These issues form part of the investigation into how legal services were authorized, documented and paid. They do not amount to final findings of criminal responsibility.
On 20 October 2026, Judge Pedraz gave the PSOE 48 hours to provide information about lawyers, law firms and consultancies hired between 2021 and 2025. The request covered contracts, engagement documents, supporting records and internal files used to authorize payments. It followed an earlier demand for information. The PSOE reportedly did not provide the requested material by the deadline, citing professional secrecy and confidentiality. Pedraz has not formally designated the party as an investigated entity at this stage and is continuing to gather evidence, including ahead of Santos Cerdán's testimony.
Covadonga S. P. P. and Celia R. A. have both challenged the seizure of their phones. They argue that the UCO acted without a court order and failed to notify Judge Pedraz within the required 24-hour period. Their legal filing says their work is limited to routine administrative tasks, such as booking travel and managing visitor access, under instructions from superiors. They maintain that those duties do not constitute criminal conduct and have asked the court to annul the confiscation.
The investigation also covers alleged irregularities involving Mercasa and the construction company linked to Cerdán. Investigators are examining personal agendas in which Díez reportedly recorded details of contracts and meetings. They are also looking at the alleged role of Servinabar's owner in a network connected to commissions and administrative decisions. These lines of inquiry bring possible influence over public contracting into the wider case.
The development comes amid growing scrutiny of the PSOE's internal operations. The case has drawn national attention, with earlier incidents, including María Jesús Montero's distancing from the SEPI scandal, highlighting its broader impact on party leadership. Recent coverage has also detailed questions facing top officials over oversight and internal controls, including reports on María Jesús Montero's response to the expanding probe.
The court is considering the Guardia Civil's request to analyze the seized devices, alongside disputes over whether the seizure was lawful and what investigators may examine. The proceedings raise questions about the handling of personal devices, the documentation of party-funded legal services and the limits of police powers during a judicial investigation. Any decision on access to the phones will form part of the ongoing evidence-gathering process.
