Judge orders search for criminal evidence in Cospedal's conversations with Villarejo

A Spanish judge has ordered police to search for evidence of criminal activity within the recorded conversations of former Madrid regional president Cristina Cospedal and controversial retired police commissioner José Villarejo. The investigation aims to uncover potential wrongdoing based on material seized from Villarejo.

Magistrate Santiago Pedraz has specifically requested that the police scrutinize an audio recording. In this recording, Cospedal allegedly speaks about "cleaning up" the assets of Luis Bárcenas, the former treasurer of the People's Party (PP), who faced charges of corruption and tax evasion. This directive is part of a wider judicial effort to investigate Villarejo's alleged criminal enterprises and his extensive network.

The judge's order to locate "indicios de criminalidad" (indications of criminality) signifies a deepening of the inquiry into the relationship between high-profile politicians and Villarejo, a figure implicated in numerous illegal surveillance and corruption schemes. The investigation seeks to establish whether Cospedal's alleged statements constitute evidence of criminal conduct related to the management of Bárcenas's finances.