Madrid prosecutor under scrutiny as investigators confirm data leak involvement

The case surrounding the alleged leak of confidential data involving Spain’s top judicial figures has taken a decisive turn. Investigators from the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Guardia Civil have reaffirmed in the Supreme Court their analysis of intercepted communications linking Madrid’s provincial chief prosecutor, Pilar Rodríguez, to a sensitive data leak.

The case involves confidential information about businessman Alberto González Amador, the partner of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Madrid region. Rodríguez, alongside Spain’s Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz, stands accused of unauthorized disclosure of private information.

The testimonies provided this week mark one of the final stages in a broader investigation that could result in formal charges. UCO agents were summoned at the request of the State Attorney's Office, which is defending Rodríguez despite rejecting the conclusions of the police analysis. That report pointed to García Ortiz as having played a “preeminent role” in the leak.

A critical testimony and a key witness

The court has scheduled businessman Alberto González Amador to testify next Friday, following a decision by the Supreme Court’s Appeals Chamber. The judges deemed his statement essential, emphasizing that only the affected party can fully clarify the impact and context of the alleged disclosure.

Crucial to the investigation are the messages extracted from Rodríguez’s phone. Authorities failed to retrieve messages from García Ortiz’s device, which had been wiped and replaced shortly after the Supreme Court opened a criminal inquiry against him. However, data from Rodríguez’s device allowed UCO agents to reconstruct events, especially those on March 13, 2024.

On that date, a confidential email dated February 2—confirming González Amador’s intent to admit tax fraud and negotiate a settlement with the prosecution—was leaked to the media. The Guardia Civil traced the timeline, showing that García Ortiz received the email at 21:59 and that the content appeared on Cadena SER just under two hours later, at 23:51.

The role of the prosecution under fire

The initial leak occurred on March 12, just two hours before the accused’s defense team was formally notified. UCO investigators found that the State Attorney General’s Office had received the case file from the Madrid Provincial Prosecutor’s Office only four days earlier. According to their report, the press had access to the complaint even before González Amador’s legal counsel.

Their analysis indicated that only a limited group had access to the exchanged emails between the prosecution and González Amador’s lawyer. Among them was the person responsible for the leak.

The investigation found that García Ortiz initiated internal efforts to collect the email correspondence between González Amador’s attorney and the prosecutors. While García Ortiz has denied involvement, insisting he only sought to counter misinformation suggesting the prosecution offered the deal, the evidence paints a more complex picture.

Decisions on prosecution imminent

With González Amador’s testimony pending, Judge Juan Carlos Peinado Hurtado is expected to decide whether to indict both García Ortiz and Rodríguez. The Professional and Independent Association of Prosecutors (APIF) has already demanded prosecution, citing what it calls “overwhelming evidence.”

In a parallel request, APIF urged the court to verify whether García Ortiz’s phone directory includes the number of Pilar Sánchez Acera, deputy secretary of the Madrid branch of the PSOE. Despite contradictions in her previous testimony, the judge excluded her from formal suspicion.

APIF also asked the court to check whether García Ortiz stored contact information for several journalists who, when questioned, claimed prior knowledge of the leak but refused to disclose their sources, citing journalistic privilege.

Additionally, the association wants the court to request three internal reports from María Antonia Sanz, head of the inspection service, regarding González Amador. The reports reportedly reflect concern over potentially irregular or extralegal actions related to the case.