Spain’s Second-Largest Bank Faces Criminal Trial
Spain’s National Court has ordered BBVA, the country’s second-largest bank, to stand trial alongside its former chairman, Francisco González. The bank stands accused of hiring a private investigation agency linked to disgraced former police commissioner José Manuel Villarejo to monitor journalists, politicians, and business figures.
A Decade of Alleged Illicit Surveillance
The National Court determined there is sufficient evidence to proceed with a trial involving BBVA and 15 other defendants.
BBVA faces charges of bribery, unlawful discovery, and disclosure of secrets. Francisco González, who led the bank from 2000 to 2018, faces a more extensive list of charges. According to court filings, he is accused of bribery, disclosure of secrets, membership in a criminal organization, mismanagement, and the falsification of documents. Several other former bank executives also face trial for their alleged roles in the operation.
The Villarejo Network and Corporate Dirty Work
The legal proceedings are part of a broader, years-long investigation into the activities of José Manuel Villarejo. The former police commissioner was sentenced to 19 years in prison in 2023 after a court found him guilty of orchestrating campaigns to discredit public figures and secretly recording high-profile individuals.
Investigators claim that Cenyt provided “dirty work” services to corporate clients, including blackmail and intimidation tactics. The recordings produced by Villarejo have previously caused significant political fallout in Spain, impacting various public officials and even reaching the former monarch, Juan Carlos I.
The Tándem Case Enters the Courtroom
The investigation into BBVA, known in Spain as the "Tándem" case, began in 2019.
The transition to a formal trial marks a critical phase in the long-running judicial inquiry.