Ábalos, Koldo and Cerdán: they all kept something (in case they fell)

The corruption case involving the PSOE's inner circle is exposing how the main suspects maintained a dual relationship: one of illegal profiteering on the one hand and absolute mistrust on the other. The proof is that, as the Civil Guard's central operational unit (UCO) advances its investigation, it is uncovering evidence of the lives of each of them. The searches have revealed how each of them kept the evidence to implicate others safely hidden—until officers seized it. In other words, based on what was seized, the suspects were entrenched in the "if I fall, so do the others" mentality.

Koldo García had long since decided to record his bosses, José Luis Ábalos and Santos Cerdán, so that if things went wrong, they wouldn't be tempted to dump the whole mess on him like a useful idiot. When Pedro Sánchez removed him from all his positions in the government and the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) without explanation, the former Minister of Transport opted to save all his sensitive conversations affecting his former colleagues in the executive, including the president, on hard drives and in the cloud. Antxón Alonso, owner of the Servinabar company, kept a private document at home that allegedly showed Cerdán owned 45% of this company awarded public works in Navarra, where he was the PSOE's organizational secretary for years. Another of the implicated businessmen was also caught at home with a document titled Ábalos detailing all the contracts they had won. They all kept it at home to use whenever and however they needed it. What they didn't count on was that Supreme Court Judge Leopoldo Puente would suspect they were hiding information about bribes and sent the UCO (Uco) to seize everything, or at least what they found. Everything except Cerdán's belongings, who was still keeping his belongings safe.

José Luis Ábalos A hard drive that has unnerved the PSOE

José Luis Ábalos had several options when the investigation against him began: deny the main issue or pull the rug out from under his feet. When he was dismissed in 2021, he also had two options: disappear or remain in the spotlight. The former Valencian leader decided to remain linked to the PSOE as a deputy, despite the discomfort this caused, and to keep all his conversations secret. Only now will we know what his objective was. When the UCO raided his home a few days ago, Ábalos had 34 pieces of digital evidence, including cell phones, hard drives, and memory sticks full of information.

But among them all, one will cause the biggest stir, if not judicially, then at least politically. Ábalos saved his conversations with ministers and Pedro Sánchez on a hard drive, reminiscent of several leaked messages from his conversations with the Prime Minister. Their content must have been sensitive for him, his life insurance, when he tried in front of the officers to convince the girl who had accompanied him that night to try to hide it in her pants under the pretext of taking the dog out.

Santos Cerdán The unknown about the management of possible evidence

Santos Cerdán remains the great unknown. When the Supreme Court judge had sufficient evidence that the Ábalos affair went beyond corruption with businessman Víctor de Aldama, the PSOE's organizational secretary had immunity due to his status as a member of parliament. The UCO (United Left of Catalonia) seized everything it could find on Ábalos and other businessmen, but Cerdán escaped unscathed, enjoying parliamentary protection. When it was discovered that he was at the center of the plot, he had to surrender his seat as a member and lose his immunity.

Both the PSOE and its entourage were convinced that Leopoldo Puente's next step would be to send the UCO (Central University of Catalonia) to seize his phone, mobile devices, and all types of documents, which could open a can of worms. However, a week later, the judge only uploaded his emails from the PSOE headquarters on Ferraz Street.

Cerdán is the only one who knows everything he has and whether that could be proof that he is innocent, as he claims, or could be the next move to bring down the next step in the house of cards.

Koldo García A large archive of secret recordings

And suddenly, everyone finds out that the chauffeur, the man with the briefcases, Ábalos's advisor, who seemed more like his bodyguard who accompanied him everywhere, had compiled a sound archive with his bosses and other politicians, talking about money and bribes. Koldo García knew it was his life insurance, although he also took his own life for it.

Since it became known that he kept eight audio recordings in his home—although those close to him say he has more hidden—distrust among those around him has spread. Even his lawyer was unaware of his plan and the documents he was carrying. García now has a new lawyer to change his strategy.

It seems the plan he intends to follow is one of whoever falls, just as Luis Bárcenas did in his day with the PP's secret accounting system. That cost Mariano Rajoy the presidency and the treasurer jail. Phrases like Cerdán saying, "Koldo, I don't want you to talk about this," or Ábalos's and his own complaints about not receiving the agreed-upon money have appeared in the audio recordings that have shaken the PSOE.

José Ruz Martínez A flash drive from the Cantabria Public Works Department

Valencian construction company José Ruz, who was also named as a suspect by the Supreme Court's investigating judge in early July, kept a flash drive at his home with the lettering of the Cantabrian Government's Ministry of Public Works and Housing.

An operation that the UCO, according to police sources, attaches particular importance to. The Civil Guard suspects that this businessman placed Koldo García, the confidant of the last two PSOE organizational secretaries, on the payroll to pay a "pension" to José Luis Ábalos.

The devastating UCO report places Ruz as a "common element" in the alleged Cerdán-Ábalos-García corruption triangle, in addition to the corrupting figure in the plot, Víctor de Aldama. He held meetings with all of them and reported the results of the meetings to the minister's former driver. The latter allegedly provided the construction company with a "secure" phone line to discuss public contracts that were allegedly rigged in exchange for bribes.

Joseba Antxón Alonso A contract that documents the link with Cerdán

The Civil Guard spent more than half a day searching the Elorrio home of businessman Joseba Antxón Alonso and the office of Servinabar, the company investigators believe to be at the center of the plot. The UCO was clear that this search was crucial: the head of the anti-corruption unit, Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Balas, was there, and the former PSOE member Leire Díez was involved in a plot against him.

In addition to extensive digital documentation and €16,000 in cash stored in backpacks, the officers found the jackpot of all the searches conducted in a brown briefcase located in a storage room: a document documenting Santos Cerdán's ownership of 45% of Servinabar. After the police report was released, Alonso denied that evidence TS-VI-1-1 was ever certified as a public deed, thus ruling out the possibility that the former number three of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) was his business partner. Cerdán's defense team has requested access to this document for verification, but Judge Leopoldo Puente has denied the request.

Manuel Fernández A handwritten outline with the name Ábalos

Manuel Fernández Menéndez was the attorney for OPR (Public Works and Irrigation), while his brother Daniel was the joint administrator of the construction company. They are brothers-in-law of Fernando Merino, a former official at Acciona Construction in Navarra, who allegedly put them in contact with Koldo García. The Supreme Court ordered a search of their home in Baza (Granada) following evidence that they were able to obtain transport contracts "in collusion" with former minister Ábalos in exchange for "economic benefits."

Despite Ábalos's months in the spotlight, Civil Guard officers found revealing documents containing information about "historical contracts awarded by the Ministry of Public Works and the Public Works Agency" and the "draft 2023 programming plan for the Subdirectorate General of Infrastructure." However, what really caught their attention was a "temporary handwritten outline containing Ábalos's name."

Also in Granada, at Merino's house, the agents found a contract for the construction and renovation of a house where Koldo García's brother was listed as "involved."