UCO conducts search at Tubos Reunidos office in Bilbao over SEPI aid case. UCO officers conducted a search at the headquarters of Tubos Reunidos in Bilbao. The investigation concerns the granting of state aid through SEPI. The focus is on suspected corruption in the company's bailout.
On Thursday morning, officers from the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard conducted a search at the Bilbao headquarters of Tubos Reunidos. The operation was carried out on the orders of National Court judge Santiago Pedraz and is related to a separate confidential part of the Leire case investigation. According to EL PAÍS, the investigative actions concern the circumstances surrounding the provision of government support to Tubos Reunidos through SEPI.
According to sources, the UCO also sent an official request to the Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (SEPI) demanding documents related to the activities of Tubos Reunidos. The company, along with Air Europa, Plus Ultra and Duro Felguera, received aid during the pandemic from the Strategic Enterprises Support Fund (FASEE), which was created in the summer of 2020 to stabilize businesses facing financial difficulties due to COVID-19. In 2021, Tubos Reunidos received approval for 112.8 million euros.
The National Court's investigation is focused on possible influence peddling to obtain state support and secure contracts. At the center of suspicion is former Socialist Leire Díez, arrested in December 2025, along with former SEPI head Vicente Fernández Guerrero and Basque Country businessman Antxon Alonso, owner of Servinabar and an acquaintance of former PSOE organization secretary Santos Cerdán. Investigators are examining whether this group could have influenced decisions on funding allocation and contract distribution.
Attention to the activities of SEPI and its affiliated companies has increased following a series of high-profile investigations and arrests. Similar questions about the transparency and oversight of state aid distribution have also been raised in other cases related to the support of strategic enterprises. In particular, Spain has previously discussed instances where government bodies found themselves at the center of corruption scandals, which were detailed in reports on the authorities' cooperation with the Vatican amid the investigation against Zapatero — more on the political context and authorities' response.
For reference: SEPI is the key state holding company managing shares and support for strategic companies in Spain. The FASEE fund was established to prevent bankruptcies and preserve jobs during the pandemic. In recent years, control over the allocation of funds and the transparency of procedures have come under increased scrutiny from law enforcement and the courts. The Leire case remains classified, and new details may emerge as the investigation develops.
