Spanish prosecutor Ignacio Stampa has revealed the strained relationship he maintains with State Attorney General Alvaro Garcia Ortiz, during testimony in the case investigating former Socialist Party member Leire Diez for an alleged bribery attempt.
According to Stampa’s account, Diez and businessman Javier Perez Dolset summoned him on 7 May to the office of Luis del Rivero, where they allegedly offered to help reinstate him in the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. In return, they asked him to provide compromising information on Anti-Corruption chief Alejandro Luzon and on Antonio Balas, the UCO officer leading investigations into Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s family.
Stampa secretly recorded the meeting and later filed the complaint now being handled by Madrid’s Investigating Court No. 9.
In audio obtained by El Mundo, Stampa told the judge he was shocked by the pair’s actions and said they appeared alarmed following the indictment of Begona Gomez, Ssnchez’s wife, for influence peddling and business-related corruption. He said Diez «activated herself» after that setback for the government and was intent on launching «a witch hunt» against police, judges and prosecutors. She also sought to contain the controversy surrounding the president’s father-in-law and alleged visits to saunas.
Referring to the offer to return him to Anti-Corruption after his 2021 departure, Stampa told the court:
«Why are you coming to me now? Don’t you know the situation I’m in with the Ministry of Justice and with the State Attorney General? They seemed surprised. I’m still in litigation, he still has his foot on my neck.»
In the recording, Diez is heard trying to reassure him, claiming they could override Garcia Ortiz’s position.
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