Court sentences PP and 29 others in Gürtel case

Spain’s National Court yesterday sentenced 29 politicians and businesspeople for their involvement in the so-called “Gurtel” corruption case to illegally finance campaigns by the ruling Popular Party (PP). Part of a wider investigation into illegal bonuses allegedly paid to PP officials by former party treasurer, Luis Barcenas, the charges yesterday included falsifying accounts, influence-peddling and tax fraud.

It was also the first time that a Spanish political party has been convicted, with the PP fined 245,000 euros for benefiting from the fraud between 1999 and 2005. No current member of the PP government was found guilty of any wrongdoing, with prime minister Mariano Rajoy denying any knowledge of the scheme.

Among those sentenced was the man at the centre of the fraud, businessman Francisco Correa, who was nicknamed “Gurtel” and who gave his name to the case. He was given a 51-year sentence for brokering illegal contracts between city councils and a range of businesses. Meanwhile, Barcenas was sentenced to 33 years in jail and fined 44 million euros. The wives of Correa and Barcenas —Carmen Rodriguez Quijano and Rosalia Iglesias— were both sentenced to 15 years in jail, while former health minister, Ana Mato, was ordered to repay the 28,000 euros she used for personal and family expenses.