The law firm has confirmed that the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Judicial Police conducted search and seizure operations in connection with an investigation related to a 2022 case involving a client of SRS Legal at that time.
The searches focused on electronic correspondence related to the investigation and were confined to the 2022 calendar year. In order for this correspondence to be copied and taken by the search team from a law firm, it is mandatory to constitute an arguido (formal suspect). This is a common formal procedure in such operations, particularly when conducted in a law office, according to SRS Legal, which stated it provided full support to the authorities.
The issue revolves around a compensation of 500,000 euros paid to former TAP executive Alexandra Reis when she left the company to join the socialist government led by António Costa. This compensation prompted significant controversy, particularly involving the then-minister responsible for TAP, Pedro Nuno Santos, who authorized the payment.
In a response shared on social media today, former minister Pedro Nuno Santos asserted that “no crime was committed” by the government regarding the TAP compensation to Alexandra Reis, acknowledging that “not everything went smoothly” and expressing hope for a swift investigation.
The compensation case has regained attention following searches conducted on Tuesday at TAP and the law firm SRS Legal. According to a statement by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP), inspections were also carried out on computer equipment at the Government’s Secretary-General’s office.
The investigation concerns suspicions of the crimes of damaging administration, undue reception or offering of advantages, economic participation in business, and abuse of power.
The inquiry is led by the Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DIAP) of Lisbon, focusing on matters related to the compensation granted upon the resignation of a member of TAP’s Board and Executive Committee.
In December 2022, TAP was embroiled in controversy over the 500,000 euros compensation paid to former executive Alexandra Reis for her early departure from the company.
As of May 31, 2023, Reis confirmed having returned 266,412.76 euros to the company, “the total net amount indicated by TAP.”
A statement from the MP outlined that the searches aimed at “the apprehension of documents” and were “led by public prosecutors and a judge, assisted by inspectors from the Judicial Police (PJ).” The operation involved 20 inspectors and specialists from the institution’s Scientific Police, under the National Unit for Combating Corruption.
TAP, contacted on Tuesday, confirmed full cooperation with the authorities in all investigations while declining to comment on judicial processes.
