David Valdeperas has taken a new step under the name luxury operation. After the dome of La fábrica de tele was written, the director of Sálvame faced an inquiry from Investigation Court No. 4 of Madrid. The case, dubbed Operation Moon, centers on allegations that an illicit spying scheme targeted more than a hundred celebrities connected to the show, as reported by Bluper.
In the 14-page summary filed, Valldeperas’s defense argued that journalists’ right to information and professional secrecy were violated when phones were tapped and journalist Gustavo González, along with other Sálvame collaborators, were summoned. The defense contended that the search, conducted with awareness of González’s occupation, enabled a broad examination of nearly all working tools held by a journalist, potentially revealing sources or activities protected by professional norms.
According to the defense, the measures taken risked infringing on the right to information and the protection of journalistic sources, a cornerstone of press freedom. The document urged the annulment of the case, arguing that the measures adopted ignored fundamental constitutional protections and that protecting sources is essential for credible reporting.
The lawyer described the court’s actions as lacking justification or motivation and asserted that the interceptions and cloning of González’s phones did not warrant such intrusive steps. The defense maintained that the violation of fundamental rights should nullify any results obtained under those conditions, and emphasized that prosecuting a case of revealing secrets does not validate the identification of journalistic sources.
Additionally, the defense criticized police statements about an alleged bribery crime, arguing that the accusations rested on speculation without substantial evidence. On the matter of payments, the defense warned that presenting a doubtful narrative around the program could be seen as an attempt to cast doubt on its origins, suggesting that a simple verification would reveal a clear and direct source. The defense regarded the bribery claims as dangerously insinuative.
Valdeperas’s representatives also highlighted that he did not know Ángel Fernández Hita or have a relationship with him. The subpoena in the investigation was portrayed as essentially a response to Valdeperas’s role as the director of Sálvame. It was noted that González and Hita were friends long before the first Telecinco program involvement, as were Óscar Cornejo and Adrián Madrid, a detail the defense argued should be considered when assessing the scope and fairness of the investigation.