OpenLux probe uncovers new Luxembourg firms tied to wealthy Spaniards
A new international journalistic investigation reveals that several Spanish businesspeople, aristocrats, and political relatives, including the grandson of a former Catalan president and Inditex founder Amancio Ortega, use Luxembourg companies to manage assets worth over €10 billion and benefit from tax advantages.
Five years after the first 'OpenLux' revelations, a new investigation led by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and the French daily 'Le Monde' has once again scrutinized companies registered in Luxembourg and their beneficial owners. The project, involving 16 media outlets worldwide including Spain's 'InfoLibre', examines corporate structures identified in 2021 and reveals new cases involving Spanish citizens.
Among the names is Jordi Pujol Gironès, grandson of former Catalan president Jordi Pujol. He owns 50% of Casa de Datos SCSp, a Luxembourg special limited partnership that is not required to file annual accounts, keeping its activities and investments private.
The investigation also revisits companies linked to Amancio Ortega. By 2021, the Inditex founder already had Luxembourg firms for managing international property investments. One, Adelphi Property Sàrl, owner of an office building in central London, was wound up in December 2024 after transferring assets to a UK company. Another, Hills Place Sàrl, continues to operate, with assets exceeding £2.4 billion (over €2.8 billion). Ortega is the ultimate beneficial owner of nine additional Luxembourg companies, most part of his property holding company Pontegadea. Some were created after the first OpenLux reports; the most recent, Pontegadea Logistics Holdings Sàrl, was registered in April 2026. Pontegadea Luxembourg Sàrl reported assets worth over €7 billion in 2024. Combined, Ortega's Luxembourg holdings exceed €10 billion.
The probe also focuses on Spanish nobility. José Luis Cotoner Martos, Marquess of Bélgida, a Grandee of Spain and son of King Juan Carlos I's mentor, owns 100% of a Luxembourg holding company with assets over €27 million. He was convicted in Spain for tax fraud.
Journalists promise further reports in the coming weeks on businesspeople, former senior officials, aristocrats, sportspeople, and other prominent figures operating through Luxembourg corporate structures.
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