Judge investigating Barcelona corruption case sees alternative case dropped due to legal fraud

The Court Magistrate leading the investigation into Barcelona’s corruption case, involving payments to former CTA Vice-President Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, has found himself in hot water over another investigation. Judge Joaquin Aguirre has been accused of legal fraud in the Operation Volhov investigation.

The case linked pro-independence Catalan politicians to Russian authorities, and was attempting to try several figures including former President Carles Puigdemont on terrorism charges. However the case has been dropped, after Aguirre was accused of legal fraud.

The Barcelona board is aware that the club will not return to the Spotify Camp Nou this season, unless a miracle happens. @Luis_F_Rojo

— Barcacentre (@barcacentre) December 18, 2024

According to MDthe Court ruling accused Aguirre of using ‘imaginative alternatives’ to put Puigdemont and company on trial for terrorism, ignoring the legal direction, and allowing personal opinions and his own vision of events to influence the legal process.

This of course does not mean to say that there has been any untoward process in the Negreira case – Barcelona have been unable to satisfactorily their payments of over €8m to Negreira. The investigation accuses Barcelona of sporting corruption and bribery, although the latter seems less likely to be pursued, as it requires a ruling that Negreira was a public official.