Tubos Reunidos is now the third investigated company that was rescued in 2021 during the pandemic by the State Society of Industrial Participations (SEPI), just like Plus Ultra and Air Europa. In this case, it was by order of the National Court judge Santiago Pedraz, who yesterday ordered the search of its headquarters by the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard.
Read more I dated an expat
Investigators estimate the kickback for the rescue of Tubos Reunidos at 114,950 euros for Hirurok
The rescues investigated by three different judges have a common denominator: they were proposed by SEPI and approved by the Council of Ministers with a aid plan for strategic companies in the face of the crisis due to the generalized paralysis after the state of alarm for covid-19.
The judge keeps secret the proceedings affecting SEPI for new investigations
Behind the three investigations, it is being studied whether there was a payment in exchange for the approval of the aid, which means that there could have been, at least, conversations to secure that rescue. In the case of Air Europa, what is being investigated is a payment of 20,000 euros for a vacation to the then Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos for publishing a statement, announcing support for the airline’s rescue to calm the company’s creditors. In the case of the other airline, Plus Ultra, the alleged kickback is more substantial, according to judge José Luis Calma and the UCO, who estimate it at 530,000 euros (1% of the rescue) which would have ended up in the pockets of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
Regarding Tubos Reunidos, yesterday’s operation is part of a secret section of the Leire Díez case. According to police sources, agents of the armed institute also appeared at SEPI’s Madrid headquarters to request information about the rescue of the Basque company with public money.
The three rescues were proposed by the public company and approved by the Council of Ministers
The judge suspects that part of the rescue ended up as kickbacks, in this case for the former president of SEPI Vicente Fernández, Cerdán and Díez. The operation ordered by Pedraz is aimed at finding the connection between transfers from the public rescue of 112 million euros and the possible kickbacks that the scheme could have collected. According to the judge, the group called “Hirurok” –formed by Cerdán, Díez and Fernández– would have maneuvered for Tubos Reunidos to receive the rescue, in exchange for illegal commissions that could have been channeled through the shell company Mediaciones Martínez.
Read more Florentino announces an offer of 150 million euros for a Champions League player
Investigators estimate that kickback at 114,950 euros. According to a UCO report included in the summary, Díez and Fernández, at a time when the rescue was blocked, proposed approaching Cerdán and his friend Antxon Alonso to push it forward. The actions carried out by the Hirurok group, according to the words of the investigated themselves, was “intermediation” with a member of the PNV, “which could have contributed to facilitating the granting of the aid in question”.
Agents are looking for documents that prove the diversion of part of the money to a shell company
Once granted, the scheme allegedly carried out a second operation, between 2024 and 2025, to try to obtain the deferral of a partial amortization of the debt interest, in which Cerdán could have participated, as indicated by the UCO report. Agents point to a meeting held on November 13, 2024, in the office of the former number two of the PSOE, at the Ferraz headquarters. In that meeting, in addition to Cerdán and Díez, two directors of Tubos Reunidos would have participated. Due to this operation, Fernández would have invoiced 40,000 euros to the Basque company.
The part affecting SEPI remains secret, so it is not ruled out that Pedraz may agree to new proceedings. This matter erupted in December with the operation that ended with the arrest of Díez, Fernández and Antxón Alonso. By then, the judge considered them to be leading the organization. However, after analyzing the seized devices, investigators have discovered that there was a boss and that is Santos Cerdán, who would also have pulled strings to place members of his network in public companies to, from within, control the awards, something similar to what he would have done with advisor Koldo García and Ábalos in Transport.
Read more Trump threatens: “On the way back from Iran we will make a small and brief stop in Cuba”
