The investigation into Leire Díez, a former PSOE member accused of orchestrating a scheme to disrupt judicial cases involving the party and the government, will now be handled exclusively by the Audiencia Nacional. The Madrid court, led by Judge Arturo Zamarriego, has formally relinquished control, placing all proceedings under Judge Santiago Pedraz. The transfer follows a request from the prosecution and is expected to simplify the complex case, which has drawn attention because of its political implications. Subsequent proceedings continued under Pedraz in preliminary case 150/2025, confirming that the national-court investigation remained active after the transfer.
Information from documentation reviewed by EL PAÍS, Judge Zamarriego signed an order on Tuesday cancelling all pending actions in the Madrid court. They included a scheduled review of a basic recording submitted by prosecutor Ignacio Stampa, one of the basic complainants against Díez. The prosecution, represented by Rosa Calvo, argued that the Audiencia Nacional investigation had a broader scope and was more interconnected than the Madrid proceedings. Calvo emphasized the close link between the two cases and backed the transfer to ensure a unified approach.
In recent months, Díez’s defense team filed several appeals seeking to annul or block the parallel case in the Audiencia Nacional. They argued that it duplicated charges over the same alleged acts for which Díez has been under investigation in Madrid since July 2025. The prosecution maintained that the national court’s jurisdiction was justified by the wider context and the potential impact on judicial processes involving the PSOE and the government. The broader alleged theory is that Díez acted within a network attributed to former PSOE official Santos Cerdán, seeking compromising information about judges and prosecutors and trying to influence sensitive proceedings. These claims remain under investigation.
The transfer to Judge Pedraz marks a impressive procedural shift. Investigative efforts will now be centralized, potentially speeding the resolution of a case that has already involved legal maneuvering by both sides. Allegations of attempts to influence or destabilize sensitive legal proceedings have highlighted tensions in Spanish political and judicial circles. Recent developments within the PSOE, including the appointment of María Jesús Montero as deputy spokesperson in the Senate, have also underscored the party’s efforts to manage internal and external challenges. Details on the reshuffle are available in the report on Montero’s new Senate role.
The investigation has since expanded to the PSOE’s contracting and financial records. On 23 October 2026, Pedraz gave the party a maximum of 15 days to provide information on its legal and consulting hires between 2021 and 2025, across its basic and territorial bodies. He also requested contracts, engagement letters and payment documentation. The order followed requests dated 6 October and 21 October. RTVE and EFE reported that the judge rejected the party’s request for more time and required it to comply without delay.
The PSOE raised concerns about professional secrecy and the risk of self-incrimination, and sought an opinion from the General Council of Spanish Lawyers on confidentiality. The order, as reported by El Mundo, limits disclosure where it could prejudice lawyer-client secrecy and recognizes the party’s right not to provide information that could incriminate it. Pedraz nevertheless required compliance with the judicial order; the party’s consultation with the professional body was not to delay the process. The request was prompted in part by PSOE manager Ana María Fuentes being declared under investigation.
The financial records relate to an inquiry into whether professional contracts or invoices may have been used to channel payments connected to Díez’s alleged activities. Onda Cero reported that the Guardia Civil’s UCO identified payments totaling 43,225 euros to Díez through companies that had also invoiced the PSOE. These included entities associated with Ismael Oliver and Jacobo Teijelo, a lawyer for Cerdán. The sum is an investigative figure, not a judicial finding of wrongdoing. Prosecutors had not immediately sought to charge the PSOE as a legal person. Further measures, including examination of possible payment channels and testimony from Cerdán, remained part of the investigation.
The Audiencia Nacional is Spain’s principal court for major criminal and political cases, often handling matters of national significance or cross-jurisdictional complexity. Its involvement in the Díez case signals the seriousness with which authorities are treating the alleged plot. The investigation will proceed under a single authority, with the court’s examination now extending beyond the alleged conduct to the party’s contracting and financial records. The outcome could affect how similar cases are handled, especially those involving political figures or allegations of interference in the justice system.
