Judge Pedraz finds no trace of European Union funds in Spain's Leire Díez investigation
National Court Judge Santiago Pedraz notified the European Public Prosecutor's Office that investigators found no evidence of EU fund misuse in the Leire Díez case, as Badajoz judge Beatriz Biedma submitted over 90 videos documenting alleged harassment.
European prosecutor inquiry closed
National Court Judge Santiago Pedraz responded to the European Public Prosecutor's Office that judicial proceedings show no evidence of European Union funds being misused in the Leire Díez case. The European body opened an inquiry following a private citizen's complaint that asked prosecutors to evaluate whether funding linked to the 2024 European Parliament elections was diverted to finance the alleged network. Following the formal request, the Central Operational Unit of the Guardia Civil forwarded relevant investigative files to Judge Pedraz for evaluation. The magistrate concluded that the case materials contain no indications of fraud against European financial interests.
there is no record of the existence of indications that reveal an impact on the financial interests of the European Union.
Electoral campaign financing and media payments
The European prosecutor's inquiry focused specifically on a 20,000 euro payment made by the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party to the digital media platform Crónica Libre, which is linked to Leire Díez. The payment took place during the European election campaign in June 2024. The party denied any involvement in the illicit activities under investigation and maintained that its campaign expenditures are audited by the Court of Auditors. Representatives of the party explained that national election campaigns receive funding directly from Spain's General State Budgets. Party spokespersons added that the organization contracted an independent media agency to secure communication services from Crónica Libre, with the Guardia Civil determining that agency fees totaled more than 18,000 euros.
- PSOE pays Crónica Libre for services during the European election campaign
- Suspects establish the Vacaciones y Viajes messaging group
- Sáenz de Tejada asks Díez to distribute his YouTube videos
- Judge Pedraz replies to EPPO and Judge Biedma submits video evidence
Harassment complaint from Badajoz judge
Alongside the European inquiry, Badajoz magistrate Beatriz Biedma submitted evidence to the National Court detailing a digital smear campaign against her. Biedma, who presided over the judicial investigation involving David Sánchez, the brother of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, joined the case as an injured party. Her submission includes links, transcripts, and view counts for more than 90 videos published on the YouTube channel Magistrado Anticorrupción TV. The channel was operated by former judge Luis José Sáenz de Tejada, who is an indicted suspect in the primary investigation. In the published recordings, Sáenz de Tejada directed verbal attacks at Biedma, calling her cynical and a violator of fundamental legal rights.
Coordination and message records
Biedma reported that the digital attacks intensified after August 2024, coinciding with the creation of a messaging group named Vacaciones y Viajes. The messaging group included Leire Díez, Sáenz de Tejada, and businessmen Javier Pérez Dolset and Joaquín Parra. The magistrate noted that search engines previously returned no public information regarding her identity, making the video channel the primary source of online commentary about her work. Specific broadcasts attracted substantial traffic, including a clip titled 'Jueza Pedro Sánchez: Cobarde', which registered 5,533 views. Records delivered to Judge Pedraz include private communications from 8 June 2025 in which Sáenz de Tejada asked Díez to distribute his video recordings. Biedma stated that she withheld witness identities during the inquiry to safeguard upcoming testimony from external pressure and media leaks.
