The SEPI branch of the Leire case has added Fernando Samper Rivas, founder and top executive of Forestalia, to the list of business figures currently investigated by the National Court. This development opens up one of the most prominent fronts of the inquiry outside of the Tubos Reunidos bailout, centering on transactions tied to the energy industry, green energy firms, and potential advantages secured via a suspected influence ring linked to state entities.
Samper is one of the 25 individuals cited as targets of the ongoing probe led by Judge Santiago Pedraz amid the broader scope of the Leire case, a judicial inquiry scrutinizing questionable dealings concerning SEPI, state-owned enterprises, and strategic grants or contracts. Alongside him, Roberto Pérez Águeda, Eduardo Pérez Águeda, and Carmelo Aznárez Pellicer—Aragonese entrepreneurs reportedly connected to the Forestalia group—have also been called to appear.
The inquiry is looking into potential infractions such as influence peddling, embezzlement, prevarication, criminal organization or group, and the misuse of privileged information. At this juncture, Fernando Samper maintains his presumption of innocence entirely, and being under investigation does not equate to a guilty verdict. Nevertheless, his involvement in the matter carries considerable weight because it draws one of the most prominent personalities within the renewable energy sector of Spain into the legal process.
The focus on Forestalia forms part of the five transactions that, according to published reports, are being examined by the National Court in the SEPI branch. Although the bailout of Tubos Reunidos, worth more than €112 million, is the main focus, the investigation also extends to Mercasa, ENUSA, the Parque Empresarial Principado de Asturias, and a transaction linked to Forestalia. El País has reported that these transactions would involve a combined €132.9 million in public aid and that the alleged network may have obtained more than €750,000 in illicit commissions.
The allegations surrounding Samper and Forestalia center on a business transaction that allegedly generated a substantial capital gain. According to El Independiente, prosecutors have linked Leire’s alleged network to a supposed “windfall” of more than €6 million involving renewable energy companies that were acquired and subsequently resold to a company whose shareholders were allegedly connected to Fernando Samper’s business group.
This aspect carries immense weight given that the inquiry extends far beyond conventional public contracts. Furthermore, investigators are probing whether specific corporate deals might have profited from inside information, key connections, or influence networks tied to the inner circle of Leire Díez, Vicente Fernández, and Antxon Alonso. The core legal dilemma centers on whether the Forestalia transaction constituted a standard private-market agreement or if it tied into a syndicate that supposedly leveraged political and commercial ties to amass financial gains.
Samper’s addition to the roster of suspects highlights the corporate angle of the matter. The purported scheme could have functioned not merely within public entities, but likewise via private firms positioned to gain from choices, prospects, or data originating in state-run corporations and official networks. Inside this context, Forestalia stands out as a key player owing to its prominence in the green energy industry and the sheer monetary volume of the deal currently under scrutiny.
The National Court will have to clarify what role Fernando Samper played in the transaction under investigation, what relationship he maintained with the Pérez Águeda brothers, Carmelo Aznárez, and other individuals under investigation, and whether he was aware of or participated in dealings attributed to the Hirurok group. It will also be crucial to determine whether there were payments, intermediaries, or agreements that could connect the business transaction to the alleged influence network.
From an institutional accountability perspective, the case is particularly serious because it combines three highly sensitive elements: energy companies, potential multimillion-euro capital gains, and an alleged network under investigation for influencing public decisions. In recent years, the renewable energy sector has involved enormous investment expectations, access to land, authorizations, permits, and financing. If a transaction in that sector comes under scrutiny in a case involving alleged influence peddling, the demand for transparency must be at its highest.
Samper will have to explain to the judge whether his actions were those of a businessman participating in a legitimate transaction within the energy market or whether there were elements connecting him to the allegedly irregular maneuvers being investigated by the UCO and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. That distinction will be decisive in determining his potential responsibility and establishing how far the alleged network actually extended.
The case also impacts Forestalia’s reputation. Although the firm has long stood as a prominent player in the renewable energy landscape across Aragón and Spain, the inclusion of its founder among the individuals probed in such a significant matter casts a shadow. Ultimately, clearing this cloud will require thorough documentation, clear explanations, and complete traceability regarding the transactions currently under review.
The question the National Court must now answer is clear: did Forestalia and its associates participate in a legitimate market transaction, or did the alleged network use its contacts to facilitate opportunities, financial benefits, and capital gains? In an investigation involving public funds, contracts, strategic companies, and possible commissions, Fernando Samper’s role must be clarified down to the last document.
Source: Cadena SER, El País, elDiario.es, Heraldo de Aragón, El Independiente, Infobae, and Europa Press.
