Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez's right-hand man ‘took kickbacks'
Pedro Sánchez's right-hand man has allegedly admitted receiving kickbacks for rigging public contracts, according to an audio recording seized by police.
Santos Cerdán is the second politician in the Spanish prime minister's closest circle to be investigated for corruption. José Luis Ábalos, who is a former minister and was previously Sánchez's right-hand man, is under criminal investigation for receiving kickbacks.
The revelation about Cerdan's alleged kickbacks is a further blow to Sánchez's government, which is reeling from a string of corruption scandals.
The Guardia Civil's anticorruption unit (UCO) reportedly uncovered the recording implicating Cerdán, the third most senior official in the ruling Socialist party, according to the broadcaster Ser Radio.
The radio station, which is close to the government, reported that in the recording it was mentioned that up to four construction companies owed kickbacks to Cerdán, allegedly as payment for rigging awards of public works. A figure mentioned was €400,000.
The conversation was between Cerdán, Ábalos, and Koldo García, his aide, who are both already under investigation for corruption.
The Socialist party denied the report, saying in a statement: 'Santos Cerdán has not participated in, much less influenced, the awarding of public works. He has never charged a commission for it.'
Sánchez is also facing a growing 'dirty tricks' scandal involving a Socialist party hack who sought incriminating evidence on the police unit, which is investigating Sánchez's wife, brother and Ábalos for alleged corruption, according to reports.
In another controversy, the government has falsely accused a police officer from the unit of plotting to place a bomb under Sánchez's car.
While the Spanish government said it has been suffering a lawfare and smear campaign, Sánchez, who has been in power since 2018, is facing his worst crisis yet.
David Sánchez, the prime minister's brother, is to stand trial for alleged crimes of misuse of public funds and influence-peddling over alleged irregularities in the creation of a government job for him.
Begoña Gómez, the prime minister's wife, is under investigation for alleged corruption and influence-peddling.
Ábalos, a former minister, is under investigation for allegedly accepting kickbacks for contracts to buy masks and other medical supplies during the Covid pandemic. All deny the allegations.
To add to Sánchez's woes, the supreme court is set to put the attorney-general on trial over allegations of leaking confidential information in a tax fraud case involving a conservative leader's partner.
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