Okdiario Threatens Legal Action Over Reports of Payments to Koldo Garcia's Attorney
The news outlet's publisher states that the funds transferred were for image rights rather than legal defense fees.
The digital media outlet Okdiario and its director, Eduardo Inda, have demanded a retraction from elDiario.es regarding a report detailing payments made to the attorney of convicted former government advisor Koldo Garcia. Okdiario has threatened legal action if the competing publication fails to retract the information, which it has labeled as completely false.
The controversy centers on invoices and bank transfer orders submitted to a National Court judge by Leticia de la Hoz, the lawyer who represented Garcia in Supreme Court proceedings. Garcia was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for corruption offenses tied to his time working closely with former Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos. De la Hoz submitted the documents to explain who financed Garcia's legal defense amid suspicions that the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) might have covered the costs.
The submitted invoices revealed that Dos Mil Palabras, the publishing company behind Okdiario, transferred a total of 242,000 euros to the attorney's firm. The invoices explicitly listed the payments under legal fees, professional duties, and advisory expenses for Garcia's court procedures. The first payment was documented on November 27, 2025, the same day Garcia gave interviews to Okdiario making various unproven claims against the executive branch.
Following the publication of these findings, Okdiario defended its position by stating that the financial transfers were entirely unrelated to Garcia's judicial defense. According to the publisher, the funds were disbursed for the assignment of the inmate's image rights and intellectual property to produce journalistic and audiovisual content. The company stated that a commercial collaboration contract was established on November 26, 2025, though that agreement has since been terminated.
In its written communication demanding a retraction, Okdiario warned of potential lawsuits for defamation and damage to the professional reputation of both the media outlet and its administrator. The dispute has also drawn attention to broader allegations surrounding Garcia's trial. During his final statements in court, Garcia claimed he was approached by individuals offering to clear his legal troubles if he implicated the government, noting that representatives from two media organizations met with him to encourage false statements.
In recent audio recordings shared with various media outlets, Garcia further alleged that a lawyer linked to the People's Party offered him one million euros to fabricate accusations against Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's administration. Meanwhile, the legal documents detailing the payments to Garcia's defense remain with the National Court as the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and presiding judges evaluate their impact on ongoing investigations.