Judge Pedraz expands charges against ex-judge Luis Sáenz de Tejada over plot targeting prosecutor

In a recent ruling, Judge Santiago Pedraz upgraded the allegations against former judge Luis Sáenz de Tejada from a single count of defamation to four distinct crimes, adding membership in a criminal organization, coercion, and an offense against moral integrity. The prosecutor, Beatriz Biedma, who led the investigation into David Sánchez, disclosed a scheme in which Sáenz de Tejada allegedly reached out to the Los Rocho narcotics clan and to Leire Díez, a known PSOE affiliate, to plan physical harm and a broader intimidation campaign.

Testimony from the clan’s matriarch, Cintia Rocho, indicated she understood the lawyer’s suggestion of “damage” to Biedma. The defense has submitted around a hundred videos showing Sáenz de Tejada harshly criticizing Biedma and claiming personal details about her family. Biedma testified that she experienced surveillance, including near her children’s school, while conducting the investigation.