Ex-Spanish Socialist Party Official Jailed in Corruption Scandal

Madrid, Jun 30 (EFE).- A Spanish Supreme Court judge decided to send Santos Cerdán, the former third-highest-ranking official of the ruling Socialist Party, to prison without bail for his alleged involvement in the illegal collection of commissions on public contracts.

Judge Leopoldo Puente believes that Cerdán may have committed the crimes of belonging to a criminal organization, bribery, and influence peddling. The judge's decision coincides with the request of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, which, in its indictment, states that Cerdan is "the head of a criminal organization" that sought to "penetrate the government" with the help of former transport minister José Luis Ábalos and his former adviser Koldo García to rig public works bids. Cerdán, who testified before the Supreme Court on Monday, denied participating in the distribution of illegal commissions or irregular bids. He claimed that he was the victim of political persecution for negotiating the investiture of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez with the Basque nationalist parties PNV and EH Bildu.