The SWP’s attempt not to disclose all of its finances hits the mark.
National Court Judge Ismael Moreno, who analyzes the party’s accounts, demanded that information about the party be handed over. Cash payments to all its directors and employees Between 2017 and 2024.
Specifically, as Moreno explains, the SWP must provide proof of cash payments to “all positions, workers, supporters or volunteers” during those eight years. Without any exception.
For a start, That list includes Pedro Sanchezwho publicly admitted receiving cash from the PSOE treasury.
Also, l Paco SalazarSanchez’s former advisor in Moncloa is currently in the eye of the hurricane due to two internal complaints accusing him of sexual harassment.
As expected, the list will also include names The other heavy partywhose representation expenses were paid from the PSOE Fund. Lunches, dinners and miles…
With the support of the prosecution
This decision taken by the judge, with the support of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, represents a serious setback for the party, which had tried to be forced to provide information only about cash payments to the party. Jose Luis Abalos actually Koldo Garciahas already been judicially investigated.
However, as Judge Moreno noted on Wednesday, he already had this information regarding the former transportation secretary and his chief counsel.
More recently, the judge noted that the SWP, as a legal entity, “is not the subject of the investigation at the present time.”
However, Moreno’s decision to scrutinize all cash payments made by the party opens the door to the discovery of some irregularities, beyond the imbalances that already exist.
The Socialist Workers’ Party, both in its judicial writings and through its leaders, defends that its accounts are clean and have been duly analyzed and examined. He denies any suspicion of illegal financing.
Finances of the Socialist Workers Party
However, on November 6, Ismael Moreno opened a separate piece in the so-called Koldo case To investigate imbalances in socialist finances.
He did so after the Supreme Court – which was already investigating José Luis Ábalos and Koldo García – sent him a report from the Civil Guard confirming that the party had paid cash, in envelopes, to both of them.
Supreme Court Judge Leopoldo Puente warned of several imbalances in the formation’s accounts, in addition to the apparent lack of control over its funds, which… It could encourage money laundering.
As reported by EL ESPAÑOL, before referring the aforementioned branch of the case to the National Court, Judge Puente questioned the Supreme Court Mariano MorenoWho was the director of the PSOE party between 2017 and 2024.
Adamantly, the judge criticized the party’s lack of controls regarding cash payments and the lack of checks on them Expenditures were reimbursed to the entire executive branch, with little verification.
In fact, the judge stated that in the absence of controls, it would have been possible for any party official to provide a receipt for a meal enjoyed by his friends or family or even the ticket on the next table in a restaurant.
On October 30, the head of government and Secretary General of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, Pedro Sánchez, appeared before the Senate investigation committee over the case. Koldo case.
He did this when the Civil Guard report revealing the payment in envelopes to Abalos and Koldo García was already known. In the Senate, Sánchez admitted, in response to questions from senators and after several evasions, that he had received money from his party as compensation for representation expenses paid from his own pocket.
“On some occasions,” he added. And always select “Against Invoice and Receipt”.
Therefore, these movements must appear in the documents that Judge Moreno requests from the PSOE.