Iberdrola to Face Civil Liability in Bribery Scandal: The Trials of Villarejo and Asenjo

The trial for José Manuel Villarejo and former Iberdrola Security director Antonio Asenjo will soon begin. The judge of the National Court, Manuel García-Castellón, has ruled that the company is also responsible for civil liability, meaning any potential sentence for its former employee could result in the company being held accountable. In addition to Villarejo and Asenjo, the judge has proposed trying Rafael Redondo in the Cenyt company.

The investigation into this case 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.

The case involves Ignacio Sánchez Galán, President of Iberdrola, but he was not charged with any criminal offenses. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and other accusers have been requested to present their requests for conviction in order to proceed with trial. The judge found evidence of bribery, disclosure of secrets, and falsification of commercial documents.