The anticorruption investigations for the Gürtel case have revealed that Luis Bárcenas was involved in some extracurricular activities, but even these do not justify the fortune that he has accumulated.
The ex-treasurer and Peoples' Party member managed agricultural investments in Brazil and Argentina, invested in the stock market and art. He also got a seat on the Gesmadrid board from Miguel Blesa, the friend of José Maria Aznar, who was managing Caja Madrid when it blew up. Gesmadrid is connected to the savings bank.
The financial success that Bárcenas startled the PP so much that one year ago it filed a formal inquiry with Judge Pedreira, asking him to archive the claims against Bárcenas. Suspicions about his illegal activities while involved with the party grow stronger and stronger. If the PP does not act soon, then Bárcenas's streak of good furtune might get him off scot free again.
