Prosecutors seek 40 years for technician who exposed Spain bar corruption case

Prosecutors seek 40 years in prison for a technician who exposed the Bar España racket

How much can it cost to report a case of petty corruption? A former telecoms employee who investigated the Bar España network is facing a request from the prosecutor's office for four decades in prison. The man, who according to sources close to him had amassed a fortune in the telecommunications sector during 2011-2012, ignored all warnings and kept publishing information that, it seems, has earned him a slander accusation. The case has peine the debate on the proportionality of sentencing in Spain.

A warning that was of no use

Those who knew him repeatedly warned him that he was getting into a mess. He, confident in his financial situation, boasted that lawsuits meant nothing to him. Now he faces a request for 40 years that, for many, is a genuine absurdity: there is no violence, no physical victims, only words. The main prosecution's argument is the alleged fruta damage caused to the establishment, but the sentencing range has caused astonishment even among the harshest critics of the accused.

Prison for those who speak or for those who steal?

One of the participants in the discussion that has circulated in legal circles summed it up with irony: "In this country it seems cheaper to rob or murder than to speak without thinking." The comparison with other economic crimes is inevitable. While convictions for multi-million-euro fraud or white-collar crimes rarely exceed a few years, this technician is being asked to serve more time than many murderers. Some observers point out that the accused may have mental health problems, which adds another layer of complexity to the case.

So, you know: if you're going to expose the sewers, make sure you have good legal defense insurance. Or better yet, don't do it.