The investigating judge of the Audiencia Nacional in the 'Leire Díez case' is taking testimony this Monday from Carmen Pano, the businesswoman who claims to have delivered 90,000 euros in cash to the PSOE headquarters on Ferraz street in Madrid, as well as her driver, Álvaro Gallego, who stated he drove her to the party's building.
Both have been summoned from 10:00 AM before Judge Pedraz, who is investigating an alleged scheme aimed at halting or dismantling judicial proceedings that would implicate the Government and the PSOE. Among those allegedly involved in this operation were former Organization Secretary Santos Cerdán and former socialist militant Leire Díez.
Before agents of the Guardia Civil's Central Operative Unit (UCO), Pano recounted that she was offered money in exchange for denying before the judge that she had delivered cash to Ferraz and to "save the asses" of former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos and his former advisor Koldo García, both convicted by the Supreme Court in the 'mask case'. The UCO incorporated these statements into the summary of the 'Leire Díez case', which Europa Press accessed.
In her testimony, the businesswoman explained that during a meeting, Leticia de la Hoz, the former ministerial advisor's lawyer, and a partner from her firm told both her and her driver that "there were people interested in talking" with them "about the money deliveries in Ferraz."
According to Pano, she reacted with "astonishment" and asked if it was "party people." De la Hoz allegedly responded yes, that it was "PSOE people" and added that "it was to save Ábalos and Koldo's asses," according to the businesswoman's own statement to the Guardia Civil.
Pano also indicated that she was experiencing financial difficulties and needed funds to cover her daughter's wedding. De la Hoz asked her "how much would that be," and the businesswoman replied that she needed 25,000 euros for the celebration and between 2,500 and 2,800 euros per month for her rent, while Gallego specified that he was requesting 15,000 euros for the purchase of a vehicle.
The witness added that, in a fourth meeting, a partner of De la Hoz informed them that "they had accepted everything": they would cover the rent for the house for a period of between five and seven years, they would pay her the 25,000 euros for her daughter's wedding, and also the 15,000 euros her driver and friend was requesting to buy a car.
On the same day, Judge Pedraz will take a statement as a witness from the woman with whom prosecutor José Grinda -- who reported an attempted bribery by Díez in exchange for compromising information about other prosecutors -- had a judicial conflict, as well as the current partner of the Public Prosecutor's representative.
According to UCO reports, Díez contacted the socialist deputy Juanfran Serrano, then Cerdán's right-hand man, in March 2025, with the aim of facilitating a job for said woman within the PSOE. To this end, she was summoned to Ferraz headquarters by the former militant.