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Legal woes of former Catalan leader’s family deepen

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The legal woes of the family of a former longtime leader of Spain's independence-minded region of Catalonia deepened Thursday after police arrested his son on fraud charges.

Police detained Oleguer Pujol, the youngest son of Jordi Pujol, a former regional president and figurehead of the Catalan independence movement, in Barcelona and searched his home and offices across the country in coordinated raids.

They suspect the 35-year-old and his business associate Luis Iglesias, who was also arrested, of money-laundering and tax-dodging.

Spanish authorities are investigating seven real estate deals carried out by Oleguer Pujol, including the purchase in 2007 of 1,152 branches of bank Santander for over two billion euros ($2.5 billion) with money kept abroad.

He is the third of Jordi Pujol's seven children to face criminal investigations over their business affairs.

Jordi Pujol, 84, founded Catalonia's Convergence and Union political alliance that governs the wealthy northeastern region.

Oleguer Pujol   youngest son of Jordi Pujol  hides his face as he leaves the police station in Barce...
Oleguer Pujol, youngest son of Jordi Pujol, hides his face as he leaves the police station in Barcelona on October 23, 2014
Quique Garcia, AFP

He won greater powers for Catalonia in areas such as taxation and education when he served as president of the region between 1980 and 2003, winning him the nickname of "Spain's viceroy".

In July, Jordi Pujol sent shockwaves through Catalan political circles when he announced in a statement that he had kept an undeclared family inheritance outside Spain for over three decades.

The confession came as criminal probes were underway into two of his other sons, Jordi and Oriol.

The corruption investigations come as Madrid and Catalonia are locked in a tense standoff over the Catalan government's plans to hold a vote on whether the region should be independent from Spain.

Catalonia's president Artur Mas watered down his plans for a November 9 referendum on breaking away from Spain, after the Spanish government launched a legal challenge at the Constitutional Court.

He had planned a kind of official non-binding referendum, but has now downgraded that to a symbolic vote organised largely by volunteers.

- 'Not a corrupt politician' -

Police personel carry boxes as they leave the home of Oleguer Pujol in Barcelona on October 23  2014
Police personel carry boxes as they leave the home of Oleguer Pujol in Barcelona on October 23, 2014
Quique Garcia, AFP

During questioning by regional lawmakers in Barcelona in September Jordi Pujol said he had inherited more than two million euros from his father in 1980.

"I can personally say, categorically, that I have not been a corrupt politician," Jordi Pujol said during questioning by lawmakers at Catalonia's regional assembly.

Oriol Pujol, 46, the only one of his offspring to enter politics, was charged last year with influence peddling.

He is accused of using his political power to control the assignment of vehicle inspection centre contracts for personal gain.

Oriol, who stepped down from a party leadership position after the scandal broke, argues the charges are politically motivated to discredit the independence movement.

In September the other brother, Jordi Pujol Ferrusola, 54, went before a judge and denied accusations that he earned millions of euros on government contracts and hid the money abroad.

Police opened their investigation after a former girlfriend in December 2012 accused him of regularly transporting bags of cash to Andorra, a tiny principality with borders abutting France and Spain.

Former president of Catalonia Jordi Pujol reacts as he appears at the Parliament of Catalonia in Bar...
Former president of Catalonia Jordi Pujol reacts as he appears at the Parliament of Catalonia in Barcelona on September 26, 2014
Lluis Gene, AFP/File

Spanish authorities suspect him and his former wife Merce Girones of transferring over 32 million euros to or from 13 countries including Andorra, Britain, Switzerland and Luxembourg, between 2004 and 2012.

A judge on Wednesday ordered Pujol Ferrusola's bank accounts in Andorra to be frozen after public prosecutors discovered a transfer of 2.4 million euros from Andorra to Mexico just days after he was summoned to appear in court.

"Pujol was for decades protected by the governments of Spain," said Catalan political analyst and philosopher Josep Ramoneda.

"Everything that is coming out now, the governments of Spain, whether of the right or the left, knew about it, and what they did was protect him as long as he guaranteed them the control of Catalonia," he added.

"As soon as he lost control and Mas began the independence project, Pujol lost his protection."

The legal woes of the family of a former longtime leader of Spain’s independence-minded region of Catalonia deepened Thursday after police arrested his son on fraud charges.

Police detained Oleguer Pujol, the youngest son of Jordi Pujol, a former regional president and figurehead of the Catalan independence movement, in Barcelona and searched his home and offices across the country in coordinated raids.

They suspect the 35-year-old and his business associate Luis Iglesias, who was also arrested, of money-laundering and tax-dodging.

Spanish authorities are investigating seven real estate deals carried out by Oleguer Pujol, including the purchase in 2007 of 1,152 branches of bank Santander for over two billion euros ($2.5 billion) with money kept abroad.

He is the third of Jordi Pujol’s seven children to face criminal investigations over their business affairs.

Jordi Pujol, 84, founded Catalonia’s Convergence and Union political alliance that governs the wealthy northeastern region.

Oleguer Pujol   youngest son of Jordi Pujol  hides his face as he leaves the police station in Barce...

Oleguer Pujol, youngest son of Jordi Pujol, hides his face as he leaves the police station in Barcelona on October 23, 2014
Quique Garcia, AFP

He won greater powers for Catalonia in areas such as taxation and education when he served as president of the region between 1980 and 2003, winning him the nickname of “Spain’s viceroy”.

In July, Jordi Pujol sent shockwaves through Catalan political circles when he announced in a statement that he had kept an undeclared family inheritance outside Spain for over three decades.

The confession came as criminal probes were underway into two of his other sons, Jordi and Oriol.

The corruption investigations come as Madrid and Catalonia are locked in a tense standoff over the Catalan government’s plans to hold a vote on whether the region should be independent from Spain.

Catalonia’s president Artur Mas watered down his plans for a November 9 referendum on breaking away from Spain, after the Spanish government launched a legal challenge at the Constitutional Court.

He had planned a kind of official non-binding referendum, but has now downgraded that to a symbolic vote organised largely by volunteers.

– ‘Not a corrupt politician’ –

Police personel carry boxes as they leave the home of Oleguer Pujol in Barcelona on October 23  2014

Police personel carry boxes as they leave the home of Oleguer Pujol in Barcelona on October 23, 2014
Quique Garcia, AFP

During questioning by regional lawmakers in Barcelona in September Jordi Pujol said he had inherited more than two million euros from his father in 1980.

“I can personally say, categorically, that I have not been a corrupt politician,” Jordi Pujol said during questioning by lawmakers at Catalonia’s regional assembly.

Oriol Pujol, 46, the only one of his offspring to enter politics, was charged last year with influence peddling.

He is accused of using his political power to control the assignment of vehicle inspection centre contracts for personal gain.

Oriol, who stepped down from a party leadership position after the scandal broke, argues the charges are politically motivated to discredit the independence movement.

In September the other brother, Jordi Pujol Ferrusola, 54, went before a judge and denied accusations that he earned millions of euros on government contracts and hid the money abroad.

Police opened their investigation after a former girlfriend in December 2012 accused him of regularly transporting bags of cash to Andorra, a tiny principality with borders abutting France and Spain.

Former president of Catalonia Jordi Pujol reacts as he appears at the Parliament of Catalonia in Bar...

Former president of Catalonia Jordi Pujol reacts as he appears at the Parliament of Catalonia in Barcelona on September 26, 2014
Lluis Gene, AFP/File

Spanish authorities suspect him and his former wife Merce Girones of transferring over 32 million euros to or from 13 countries including Andorra, Britain, Switzerland and Luxembourg, between 2004 and 2012.

A judge on Wednesday ordered Pujol Ferrusola’s bank accounts in Andorra to be frozen after public prosecutors discovered a transfer of 2.4 million euros from Andorra to Mexico just days after he was summoned to appear in court.

“Pujol was for decades protected by the governments of Spain,” said Catalan political analyst and philosopher Josep Ramoneda.

“Everything that is coming out now, the governments of Spain, whether of the right or the left, knew about it, and what they did was protect him as long as he guaranteed them the control of Catalonia,” he added.

“As soon as he lost control and Mas began the independence project, Pujol lost his protection.”

AFP
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