A court on Thursday ordered Spain's second biggest bank BBVA and its former chairman to stand trial for alleged corporate spying involving a disgraced former police chief.
BBVA was placed under investigation in July 2019 for allegedly hiring a private investigation agency run by former police commissioner Jose Manuel Villarejo to spy on politicians, journalists and business figures.
Francisco Gonzalez, 81, was chairman of BBVA from 2000 to 2018, when the bank is said to have engaged the agency.
Spain's National Court, which handles major financial cases, ruled there was sufficient evidence for BBVA and 15 other defendants, including Gonzalez, to stand trial.
The bank will stand trial for bribery and unlawful discovery and disclosure of secrets.
