MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's High Court has asked BBVA (MC:BBVA) bank to hand over documents related to contracts with a jailed ex-police chief it allegedly hired in 2004 to spy on top executives of a potential buyer, El Economista newspaper reported on Thursday.
Neither Spain's High Court nor BBVA could confirm the report.
However, BBVA said it "cooperates and will cooperate with law authorities, respecting the principles and guarantees that govern judicial processes."
El Economista said BBVA had been given 72 hours to hand in any paperwork related to Grupo Cenyt, a security firm owned by Jose Manuel Villarejo, a former police chief who was arrested in 2017 as part of a separate investigation. He remains in jail.
BBVA said on Wednesday it was in the midst of judicial investigations over the ordering of "allegedly irregular activities that could have a negative reputational or economic impact for the bank."
It was the first time the bank had acknowledged potential reputation damage or losses since the case was first reported last year.
Executive Chairman Carlos Torres confirmed in a letter to staff last month that Cenyt provided various services to the bank, but said it had found no evidence of spying.
BBVA recently hired auditing company PwC to help in the investigation, which is also looking into alleged spying on government officials.