BNG councillor from Cangas charged over €200,000 ransom payment in cyber attack
The judge in Cangas de Morrazo has summoned councillor Antón Iglesias to testify regarding the ransom payment for a cyber attack on the town council. The Prosecution has identified signs of malfeasance and embezzlement.
Cangas Urban Planning Councillor Investigated Over Municipal Cyber Attack Ransom
The judge of District Court 2 in Cangas de Morrazo (Pontevedra) has summoned the councillor for Urban Planning, Housing and the Environment, Antón Iglesias (BNG), to testify as an investigated person regarding the payment of a ransom linked to a cyber attack suffered by the town council more than three years ago.
According to ABC, the proceedings were initiated following a complaint filed in October 2024 by the Pontevedra Provincial Prosecution Service, which identified signs of the crimes of administrative malfeasance, embezzlement of public funds, computer damage and coercion. The ransom paid is reported to have amounted to approximately 200,000 euros.
Sources from the Galician Supreme Court of Justice (TSXG) consulted by Europa Press clarify that the judge is investigating Iglesias in his current capacity as Urban Planning councillor, although he did not hold that position at the time the facts occurred. Also investigated is the manager of the IT company contracted by the council.
The Cyber Attack and the Chain of Contracts
The cyber attack took place in May 2023. Weeks later, the new municipal government—led by mayor Araceli Gestivo (BNG)—contracted a company for just over 5,000 euros to analyse the affected systems, although this did not resolve the problem.
A month later, the town council signed a new contract with the same firm for "ransomware decryption and data recovery audit services". The company managed to decrypt most of the files, but in a subsequent report it is said to have acknowledged negotiating directly with the authors of the attack and paying the ransom in bitcoins.
The Prosecution's investigation was opened following a complaint filed by the People's Party before the court regarding the same facts.
Source: ABC