Spanish prosecutor requests opening of trial against BBVA in alleged spying case

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's anti-corruption prosecutor has requested the opening of a trial against BBVA and former chairman Francisco Gonzalez for alleged bribery and disclosure of company secrets, as part of a probe into alleged corporate spying.

In a court document reviewed by Reuters, prosecutor Alejandro Cabaleiro Armesto asked the High Court's investigating judge Manuel Garcia Castellon to start oral proceedings against the lender and Gonzalez, among others.

BBVA and representatives for Gonzalez declined to comment.

The action was first reported by Bloomberg News.

BBVA was placed under investigation in July 2019 for hiring a private investigation agency allegedly run by serving police commissioner Jose Manuel Villarejo.

The case is part of a wider probe dating back to 2004 into Villarejo, who denies wrongdoing.

Gonzalez, who was BBVA chairman at the time the bank hired the agency, had temporarily stepped down as honorary chairman in March 2019 to prevent any harm to the bank's reputation. He has also denied wrongdoing.

BBVA previously confirmed it hired the agency but has found no evidence of spying. Prosecutors allege the bank paid the agency more than 10 million euros ($10.85 million).

BBVA is Spain's second-largest bank by market value after Banco Santander. Last month it announced a 12 billion euro ($13 billion) bid for Banco Sabadell.

None of the bank's current board were involved in the incident under investigation.

In its 2021 annual report, BBVA said it could not predict the outcome or implications of the case, including fines or reputational damage.

($1 = 0.9219 euros)

(Reporting by Jesús Aguado; Editing by Christopher Cushing)