Manuel Fernández de Sousa. (Photo: Stock File)

Pescanova’s former chairperson sues the company for 'unfair dismissal'

SPAIN
Wednesday, October 30, 2013, 00:50 (GMT + 9)

After having been the chairperson of the Galician multinational firm Pescanova, Manuel Fernández de Sousa has filed a lawsuit against the company for what he considers a "wrongful dismissal" .

The executive was responsible for the management of the company until July, when he was fired amid a financial scandal rocking the group, facing a debt that exceeds EUR 3,600 million and an equity hole of around EUR 1,000 million.

While last week Pescanova and Fernández de Sousa tried to reach a settlement, the initiative was not successful, the newspaper La Voz de Galicia informed.

The former chairperson of the multinational firm demanded to be granted the status of employed for the company since 1977. Due to this failed attempt, sources close to the company confirmed that the next step is the trial.

If the invalidity of his dismissal is proved, the company must compensate the former chairperson, an expense that will further affect its accounts.

Meanwhile, three workers of two agencies in Vigo acknowledged before the National Court judge, Pablo Ruz, that Pescanova’s managers asked them to set up companies from which it would be possible to generate fake invoices for it to be financed and pretend sales.

According to the forensic report prepared by KPMG, 80 per cent of the income of the multinational firm between 2011 and 2012 was fictitious.

Last week, the corresponding authorities declared the accused parties were Camilo Rodriguez, Francisco Javier Fernández and Francisco Javier Retamar, who attributed the order to different Pescanova’s managers like Alfredo Lopez Uroz, financial director; Antonio Táboas, his predecessor in the position; and Joaquín Viña, chief of the auditing department and responsible for accounting consolidation of the business group, reported the agency EFE.

Related article:

- Carceller is the largest of Pescanova’s shareholders

By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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