Trial Details Unfold on the Interplay Between Public Leadership, Business Interests, and Infrastructure Plans
Interest in the development of mobile communications was high, yet the focus centered on how the president of the Diputación, José Joaquín Ripoll, connected with business figures Enrique Ortiz and Ángel Fenoll. The lively discussions surrounding these individuals and the allegations connected to Rafael Gregory dominated the trial’s sessions, with fresh developments continuing to emerge as events unfolded.
Witnesses noted that Gregory’s associates claimed information was conveyed through a coded language agreed upon with each interlocutor, a point that surfaced repeatedly in the courtroom proceedings. The use of coded terms echoed in the evidence, highlighting how confidential exchanges shaped the narrative around the macro landfill project.
Researchers observed up to fifty references to a recurring term used in prior conversations. The dialogues contained hints and gifts tied to Ripoll, intended to influence the proceedings surrounding the project. A line stating, “The lemons will be picked when they pay. If they don’t pay, nothing happens” appears in a dialogue involving Fenoll.
Ortiz urged coordination of the consortium and the arrangement of payments, a recurring pattern in the exchange materials.
On February 1, 2009, Gregory discussed with Ortiz the strategic plan laid out by Ripoll, offering a glimpse into the coordinated approach behind the project. Gregory noted that someone had contacted the consortium with questions about the payment flow, prompting Ortiz to outline the sequence: a payment to a contact weeks earlier, followed by notification that the consortium would convene on the 24th, with funds dispersed through a series of steps aligned with the group’s expectations.
Gregory pressed to stay focused on the core details, while Ortiz stressed keeping the team informed about payment arrangements and the need for timely action, even as the exact mechanics remained tightly controlled in the background.
The discussion then turned to what had happened with Enrique and how the project might be adjusted. One line of inquiry asked how the project could be altered to accommodate other interests, and Gregory suggested a reassessment after certain findings. The witnesses explored whether any significant influence or coercion had been used to benefit Fenoll, raising questions about potential leverage aimed at steering outcomes in Ortiz’s favor.
A separate thread described alternative forms of influence, with inquiries about what could be blackmailed, and others replying with firm denials. The dialogue also touched on whether the sequence could be interpreted as manipulation, with careful wording and plans laid out for subsequent moves.
During that period, agricultural code language reappeared, with terms like “sprinkler irrigation” used to signify a workaround in discussions about the project. Anti-corruption authorities argued that Ripoll pressed Ortiz to ensure Fenoll remained options after losing the contract. When Fenoll mentioned Ripoll, Gregory reportedly planned to dine with him that same night, and Autisa’s former manager responded with a remark about the Camino de Santiago ending, signaling a shift in dynamics and expectations.
A vivid portrait of the players emerged from the accounts. Ortiz offered boats for the cause, with obligations tied to one vessel while the organizer instructed Gregory to use another, a Pershing model 62 with a captain, a detail Ripoll’s wife described as the “small boat.”
In addressing the situation, Enrique noted that the Pershing would be allowed to move forward so the group could extend its reach, though his presence was deemed unnecessary by some, and later implied a desire for his involvement from others. The accounts indicate that the president’s wife was described as comfortable within the evolving situation.
Gregory informed Fenoll that the plan would proceed with the same metaphor, forecasting the collection of lemons once payment was secured. On December 22, 2008, a pivotal date in the District Plan process, the consortium approved relocating the farm where the landfill would be built, prompting Ortiz to negotiate land purchases from Ángel Fenoll. Minutes before the consortium meeting, Ripoll and Rafael Gregory met at a gas station, where Gregory updated Ripoll on Fenoll’s interests, specifically relocation approval rather than any workaround to pressure Ortiz, according to the indictment. Prior to this meeting, Gregory and Fenoll had aligned on messaging for Ripoll, using coded language to discuss “sprinkler irrigation” as a stand-in for a workaround noted in the police report.
Gregory remarked, “Sounds good, right? Let them fix the replacement for the lemons.” Fenoll replied in agreement, noting that the points should be reserved for later, and Gregory added that more points would accrue if perks were not fully disclosed. The dialogue concluded with a reminder that the term irrigation, or sprinkler irrigation, referred to the intended approach, leaving room for further discussion in later exchanges.
As the investigation progressed, the conversations painted a vivid image of how the figures navigated the procurement process, the language used to veil their coordination, and the delicate balance of information that moved the project forward while raising serious questions about the integrity of the decisions taken along the way.