Corrpuption Spain
1. Operation Punika 827/10/2014)
Corruption scandals have left few among the Spanish ruling class untainted, engulfing politicians on the left and right of the spectrum, as well as businesses, unions, football clubs and even the king’s sister
Dozens of public officials, bureaucrats and business leaders have been arrested across Spain as part of a wide-ranging corruption investigation, just a day after the prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, downplayed the scale of graft in the country.
Spanish police have arrested 51 people as part of a graft investigation involving local government construction contracts, the anti-corruption prosecutor's office said on Monday.
The investigation, "Operation Punica" -- centred around town halls mainly in the regions of Madrid, Murcia, Leon and Valencia -- is one of numerous corruption scandals that have hit Spain's mainstream political parties and many bankers in recent months.
"The collusion between local councillors and civil servants, with builders and energy service companies, and the corruption of middle-men and key companies, has helped them to secure contracts worth around 250 million euros ($300 million) in the last two years alone," the prosecutor said in a statement.
A judicial source said one of those arrested was Francisco Granados, a former conservative deputy president of the Madrid region who resigned in February after it was revealed he had millions of euros in a Swiss bank account.
Information from Switzerland has helped Operation Punica, and investigators have issued search warrants on 259 properties, 400 banks, companies and insurers, blocked current accounts and assets and embargoed 30 vehicles.
The raid is the latest in a series of scandals that have entangled Spanish politicians and bankers. An investigation into the misuse of company credit cards by more than 80 officials connected to savings bank Caja Madrid has dominated headlines in recent weeks.
The bill for Rodrigo Rato, a former head of the International
Corruption scandals have left few among the Spanish ruling class untainted, engulfing politicians on the left and right of the spectrum, as well as businesses, unions, football clubs and even the king’s sister
Dozens of public officials, bureaucrats and business leaders have been arrested across Spain as part of a wide-ranging corruption investigation, just a day after the prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, downplayed the scale of graft in the country.
Spanish police have arrested 51 people as part of a graft investigation involving local government construction contracts, the anti-corruption prosecutor's office said on Monday.
The investigation, "Operation Punica" -- centred around town halls mainly in the regions of Madrid, Murcia, Leon and Valencia -- is one of numerous corruption scandals that have hit Spain's mainstream political parties and many bankers in recent months.
"The collusion between local councillors and civil servants, with builders and energy service companies, and the corruption of middle-men and key companies, has helped them to secure contracts worth around 250 million euros ($300 million) in the last two years alone," the prosecutor said in a statement.
A judicial source said one of those arrested was Francisco Granados, a former conservative deputy president of the Madrid region who resigned in February after it was revealed he had millions of euros in a Swiss bank account.
Information from Switzerland has helped Operation Punica, and investigators have issued search warrants on 259 properties, 400 banks, companies and insurers, blocked current accounts and assets and embargoed 30 vehicles.
The raid is the latest in a series of scandals that have entangled Spanish politicians and bankers. An investigation into the misuse of company credit cards by more than 80 officials connected to savings bank Caja Madrid has dominated headlines in recent weeks.
The bill for Rodrigo Rato, a former head of the International