Spanish judge investigates alleged illegal PSOE financing

Judge Ismael Moreno is advancing an investigation into the alleged illegal financing of the PSOE. The Court of Auditors has provided the judge with a sealed drive containing the names of donors to the party over the last decade.

This evidence is intended to be cross-referenced with testimony from Víctor de Aldama regarding a ‘smurfing’ scheme. Aldama alleges that illegal commissions, potentially originating from a 249 million Venezuelan oil quota and the company Apamate Corporate & Trust, were broken down into smaller amounts and presented as legal individual donations to the party.

The investigation covers the years 2017 to 2024. Judicial police will now verify whether these donors possessed the actual economic capacity to make such contributions or if they were recipients of cash intended to bypass party financing laws. Pedro Sánchez has addressed the possibility of indictment, stating that the party will defend its innocence against claims of irregular financing.