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Forestalia Founder Fernando Samper Resigns During Civil Guard Probe

The shake-up signals a push to tighten compliance during a high-profile inquiry into how its wind and solar projects won environmental approvals.

Overview

  • Forestalia, which announced the leadership handover Wednesday, named 28-year-old Ricardo Samper García director general and handed him full executive duties.
  • The Civil Guard’s environmental unit, UCOMA, is probing suspected irregular approvals and a supposed €5.2 million payment to former energy ministry official Eugenio Domínguez through a company tied to his wife.
  • Two days before stepping down, Fernando Samper told a Senate inquiry he met once with PSOE figure Santos Cerdán via intermediary Antxon Alonso and denied paying commissions or doing business with them.
  • The company says it has brought in law firms Cuatrecasas and Hogan Lovells as independent advisors to strengthen its compliance program and to formalize a split between ownership and management.
  • Courts are weighing challenges to projects including the Maestrazgo wind cluster in Teruel, where complaints allege breaches of environmental review rules meant to protect Natura 2000 sites.