A National Court ruling describes how a suspected network connected to the PSOE allegedly sought to offer a €300,000 bribe to anti-corruption prosecutor José Grinda. Judge Santiago Pedraz indicates that the proposal was intended to secure information that could undermine Alejandro Luzón, the Chief of the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption and Organized Crime, and to push for the dismissal of significant judicial proceedings.
The judicial document further specifies that the plan was led by Santos Cerdán, former Socialist Organization Secretary, who allegedly directed a network meant to destabilize judicial cases unfavorable to the party and the Government. Within this scheme, Leire Díez, known as “the plumber” of the PSOE, is said to have played a key role in these illicit activities.
The bribe intended for prosecutor Grinda was allegedly facilitated by Pere Rusiñol, a businessman unaffiliated with the PSOE, who met with the prosecutor in February 2025 to relay the proposal. Besides the cash, Grinda was assured of a position overseas.
Fresh Disclosures: Efforts to Bribe and Influence Witnesses
The ruling also reveals that businesswoman Carmen Pano was offered €50,000 to change her court testimony. Pano had previously stated that she delivered €90,000 in cash to the PSOE headquarters in Ferraz in October 2020, on the orders of Víctor de Aldama, an alleged middleman in the “Koldo case.” Despite attempts to alter her testimony before a new court appearance, Pano reaffirmed her claims in the tribunal.
Lawyer Ismael Oliver, also under investigation, reportedly took the lead in negotiating this bribe with Leire Díez’s authorization. “We must know how to buy,” Díez allegedly stated in a conversation included in the judge’s investigation.
Exclusive Deals for Officials and Civil Guards
Additionally, the judge details that economic favors and benefits were offered to public officials and Civil Guard members in exchange for information to obstruct corruption investigations. Promises included lawyer fees and professional promotions.
The search of the PSOE headquarters in Ferraz, ordered by Judge Pedraz, along with other judicial actions, strengthens evidence that this network sought to protect the political interests of the PSOE and the Government through illegal acts against prosecutors, judges, and law enforcement officers.
Source: El Economista – https://www.eleconomista.es/economia/noticias/13941030/05/26/el-juez-sospecha-que-la-trama-ofrecio-300000-euros-al-fiscal-grinda-para-obtener-informacion-que-afectara-a-luzon.html
