A Spanish judge has ruled that former Iberdrola Security director Antonio Asenjo and José Manuel Villarejo, a retired commissioner who worked with Villarejo’s partner Rafael Redondo, will be tried for a series of illegal orders from the company. The court also holds the company responsible civilly, meaning that any potential sentence for its former employee could result in the company being held accountable.
The case revolves around bribery, disclosure of secrets, and falsification of commercial documents involving Iberdrola and its president Ignacio Sánchez Galán. Despite accusations against them, the judge has dropped charges against Sánchez Galán and the company itself.
The investigation revealed that between 2004 and 2011, Antonio Asenjo commissioned several investigations from Villarejo in order to obtain information about individuals and entities that could benefit Iberdrola. The judge detailed multiple projects undertaken by Villarejo’s company, including an investigation into the president of Endesa, Manuel Pizarro, a competitor of Iberdrola. Payments were made to Villarejo’s company and invoices were manipulated to cover up the involvement of an active police commissioner.
Overall, the judge found sufficient evidence to proceed to trial in this complex case involving illegal orders, bribery, and other criminal activities involving Iberdrola, Villarejo, Rafael Redondo
