Jordi Pujol Ferrusola Testifies Amid Ongoing Corruption Trial of Pujol Family

Jordi Pujol Ferrusola, the eldest son of former President of the Generalitat Jordi Pujol i Soley, took the stand on Monday before the National Court in Madrid, which is investigating the Pujol family for alleged illicit enrichment. During his testimony, Pujol Ferrusola claimed that the payments he received from various companies were in exchange for advice that involved passing on insider information that was not publicly available at the time. Anticorruption prosecutor Fernando Bermejo is pursuing the maximum penalty for Pujol Ferrusola, asking for a 29-year prison sentence. The trial's objective is to ascertain whether the payments he received were indeed for legitimate services, as he has asserted, or illegal commissions that were given to secure public contracts. Regarding the family's wealth in Andorra, Pujol Ferrusola stated that it originated from his grandfather, Florenci Pujol. He mentioned that he became aware of this inheritance in 1976 or 1977 when Florenci assured him that they would never lack for anything. It was not until September 1980 that Jordi Pujol i Soley, who had previously not discussed the matter, gathered the family to reveal the existence of the inheritance, showing them a letter but providing no details on the amounts or origin. He conveyed that his father believed they needed to be protected from the political uncertainties of Spain, having come from a tumultuous historical background. Pujol Ferrusola stated that Florenci Pujol's fortune was initially managed by a close family friend, later taken over by his brother Joaquim, and subsequently by himself from 1990. He clarified that the inheritance, which included about 110 million pesetas in US dollars and 390 million pesetas in bonds, was under the management of Banca Reig in Andorra, where he first learned about its contents. He denied any connection between the family's disclosure of their fortune and accusations made by Victoria Álvarez in 2012, with whom he had a relationship. He also asserted that his siblings have always maintained financial independence from the Andorran funds and had never inquired about his management of them. Pujol Ferrusola acknowledged having money in Mexico and Switzerland, attributing it to legitimate business dealings through his companies in Spain. He rejected claims of holding opaque bank accounts and emphasized his commitment to dissociating from the political atmosphere in Catalonia. He stated that he returned to Spain around 2000 after former Prime Minister José María Aznar commented positively on Spain's economic situation. When queried about connections to Carles Sumarroca's companies, which had received public contracts in Catalonia, he responded ambiguously and admitted to knowing businessman Carles Vilarrubí personally from a young age. He explained that Vilarrubí's talent led Jordi's father to entrust him with establishing Catalunya Ràdio and TV3. In response to inquiries about significant deposits made into a company owned by broker Herbert Towning in London, Pujol Ferrusola denied any allegations of being a front man, stating these transactions were based on shared clientele. He acknowledged the absence of formal documentation regarding his business relationships with Gustavo Buesa, another businessman implicated in the trial, indicating he would clarify these matters further during his testimony. The proceedings were further impacted by the court's decision to exempt Jordi Pujol i Soley from the trial due to his acquired dementia. National Court President José Ricardo de Prada ruled that the former president would not participate in the case concerning the hidden fortune, which has added additional layers of complexity to an already intricate legal situation involving the Pujol family. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2