• Investigations. Attribute unjustified expenses to a position investigated in 'Mercury'
  • Francisco Fernández.A Facebook profile informer

A former position of socialist trust is pending trial for allegedly embezzling thousands of euros of public funds between January 2011 and December 2012. The former secretary of the PSC organization of Sabadell Francisco Fernández was the manager of three consortiums of the Vallès County Council Occidental , which billed at least 17,117.43 euros for 40 alleged trips to different cities in Spain that said it did for work and private car. However, the Mossos d'Esquadra deny that he did them. Adding other possible anomalous charges, the prosecution accredits a fraud of 27,877.70 euros. On the other hand, an audit of the Regional Council raises it to about 45,000 euros.

The former charge faces requests for more than 10 years in prison, the highest in the Mercury case, a corrupt plot around Manuel Bustos , former mayor of Sabadell . This Wednesday marks seven years since the scandal was uncovered. The former leader of the PSC is waiting if he enters prison for withdrawing two fines from family members.

In the derivative that affects Fernandez, the Mossos discovered a multitude of inconsistencies that practically reduce the paths to falsehoods. For example, he received 501.48 euros after referring that he took part in a working day in Madrid in January 2011. The evidence that the police collected documents that it is impossible for him to take part in meetings that, in addition, were not held when he said . Agents stressed that the former manager posted on Facebook that he was in Algeria on the same days for which he was compensated for an alleged stay in Madrid. The congress organizers paid for the trip, the Spanair company confirmed that the former director took a flight and his tourism remained in El Prat until he returned.

The Mossos contacted the companies and fairs that the accused implied he visited. They were not aware of his presence and, in some cases, denied knowing him. In June 2012, the former manager entered 776.28 euros for the 2,232 kilometers he said he traveled with his vehicle to attend conferences in Santiago de Compostela . On the contrary, the organizers proved that he did not attend. Moreover, the researchers verified that, when he claimed to be in Galicia , the credit cards of the consortiums available to Fernández recorded the amount of two tolls and a parking space in Sabadell and its surroundings. The test that places him in the province of Barcelona is "incompatible," the police said in a report, "with a trip of more than 10 hours one way and 10 more back."

The defendant's defense admits that "there could have been an error" and that "it is likely" that charges will occur that cannot be justified. In any case, he attributes that there was no item for representation expenses and adds that "there was no intention to appropriate any amount." Fernández paid the bond of 23,323.44 euros that the court ordered.

Bustos appears as accused in this piece of Mercury , although only for a lucrative title. Fernández financed on behalf of the Vallès Occidental Waste Consortium the accommodation of the former mayor in Seville during the PSOE Congress in 2012. Bustos had to deposit in court 326.50 euros that cost the accommodation, which he left in the hands of his man of trust The same situation is repeated with another militant, Montserrat Gallardo , benefiting from 508.59 euros in charge of the same entity to move to an act of the party in Almeria .

Personal expenses

According to the inquiries, Fernández pulled the consortium cards to cover at least 1,752.83 euros of personal expenses. Weekend agapes are included; the most expensive, a lunch with a dozen diners on a Sunday, for which he allegedly slipped two tickets totaling 582.68 euros. His defense alleges that work meetings extended to holidays. There are also personal purchases, such as the acquisition for 6.98 euros of gum and four condoms, and another for 11 euros of two loaves of bread and two bags of coal. Credit cards were canceled in 2015, months after Fernández ceased.

The investigation also maintains that it used for its enjoyment an electronic toll device reserved for cars of the Regional Council. He allegedly used it to disburse at least 174.55 euros on highways, especially on occasions when he went to his second residence. It also indicates that the same route or the same diet was reimbursed two and up to three times when endorsed to the different consortiums. It is estimated that he obtained 7,177.87 euros as a minimum.

Fernández is accused of an alleged crime of embezzlement of public funds and another of documentary falsity. Prosecutor asks for nine and a half years in prison, 13 and a half years of disqualification to work in public institutions and a fine of 60,000 euros. The Regional Council -person as a private accusation- explains that its requests "are in line" with those of the Fiscal Ministry, while the popular accusation exercised by the Sabadell Lliure de Corrupció platform increases them to 12 years in prison, 16 years without employment in the administration and penalty of 8,640 euros.

The council and the platform demand that Fernández return about 45,000 euros. At the expense of citing the jury trial, the defendant's defense is open to an agreement with the accusations to prevent him from being imprisoned.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Mossos d'Esquadra
  • PSC
  • Madrid
  • PSOE
  • Galicia
  • Facebook
  • Spain
  • Barcelona
  • Algeria

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