Gürtel ring listed PP expenditures under “swindle” heading

Police investigating the Gürtel corruption ring have uncovered a host of files that used a colloquial term to list the details of the costs of organizing Popular Party (PP) electoral campaigns across Spain, it emerged on Tuesday.

The records were turned over to High Court Judge Pablo Ruz, who is carrying out an ongoing inquiry into allegations that a large business network, headed by Francisco Correa, bribed PP politicians in exchange for government contracts in different regions. Many of these contracts were for the organization of political events, including electoral rallies.

The documents, which were confiscated at the office of David Luis Cerezo, one of the suspects in the case, allegedly detail the costs and expenses of PP European and national races in 2004, and regional and municipal campaigns in 2003.

The files are under the Spanish term pufo, which can either mean “swindle” or “debts,” depending on its use.

In the files labeled “pufo events in Madrid,” details are included about PP spending that took place during Esperanza Aguirre’s first run for regional premier. Information in another file – “pufo Andalusia” – shows that the Gürtel network billed the PP some 107,000 euros for organizing events in the southern region.