Pablo Iglesias

In the case concerning Dina Bousselham's stolen telephone, a National Court judge had asked the Supreme Court to investigate Iglesias for disclosure of secrets, computer damage and making a false accusation. The Supreme Court dismissed the case against him in January 2021 and returned the investigations to the judge. In May 2026, Villarejo was ultimately convicted for unlawfully accessing and disclosing the card's contents, with 1,000 euros in compensation awarded to Iglesias.

Attribution

Protagonist is the victim

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist is the victim

Proceedings before the National Court seek to establish whether police units under the Rajoy government carried out investigations without judicial authorisation into Podemos and several of its MPs. In June 2026, Judge Santiago Pedraz formally placed a former senior UDEF official under investigation after upholding an appeal by Pablo Iglesias, who is participating as a prosecuting party in the case.

Attribution

Protagonist is the victim

Pablo Iglesias and Podemos sued a journalist and his media outlet following statements alleging that the party had been financed by the governments of Venezuela and Iran. In October 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed their appeal and confirmed that, in the context of political debate, the statements had a sufficient factual basis to enjoy freedom-of-expression protection.

Attribution

Personally implicated

The Neurona case investigated Podemos's campaign contracts with the Mexican company Neurona and possible offences relating to election expenditure for more than three years. The judge progressively dismissed the different branches, and the Madrid Provincial Court definitively closed the proceedings in October 2024 by rejecting Vox's final appeal.

State of the evidence

Documented

An investigation examined whether Podemos employees, paid by the party or with public funds, had been used to look after the children of Pablo Iglesias and Irene Montero. In July 2022, the judge closed the case, finding no evidence that anyone other than the parents had provided childcare during time paid for by Podemos or the public treasury.

Attribution

Direct responsibility

Before Podemos was founded, Iglesias described confrontational protests outside politicians' homes or workplaces, known as escraches, as "jarabe democrático de los de abajo". Years later, when he, Irene Montero and their children experienced repeated demonstrations outside their Galapagar home, opponents criticised his earlier expression and accused him of double standards.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Pablo Iglesias and Irene Montero bought a house in Galapagar for approximately 600,000 euros, financed by a 540,000 euro mortgage. The purchase sparked considerable controversy because Iglesias had previously criticised politicians living in very expensive homes. The couple submitted their continued leadership of Podemos to a vote by party members.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

A complaint accused Pablo Iglesias of receiving 272,325 dollars from Nicolás Maduro's government through an account in a tax haven. In July 2016, the Supreme Court dismissed the complaint, finding that it rested solely on press reports that did not constitute genuine evidence of a criminal offence.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated