The Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office in Spain has communicated to the National Court that the ongoing investigation into the fuel scandal linked to Victor de Aldama could likely result in additional charges.

The Prosecutor's Office is awaiting the analysis of materials seized last year by the Civil Guard's Organised Crime and Anti-Drug Team (UCO), notably a mobile phone belonging to Aldama, which allegedly contains information that may implicate high-ranking officials in the Spanish government.

Luis Pastor, the prosecutor handling the case, has requested the examining magistrate, Santiago Pedraz, to extend the proceedings by another six months.

This request has been granted and is based on the fact that not all evidence gathered from the alleged fraud scheme, which reportedly defrauded the Spanish Treasury of over €200 million in VAT from hydrocarbons, has been processed.

In agreement with claims made by the civil association Hazte Oír, the prosecution is waiting for responses from other countries such as Portugal to European investigation orders issued by the court.

The Tax Agency has also been called upon to provide detailed calculations of the fraud related to the scheme, which is believed to involve businessman Claudio Rivas and Aldama, identified as a key intermediary in the case.

The materials seized in October 2022 are of particular interest to prosecutors, who describe them as 'undoubtedly important' and crucial for shedding light on the case.

The prosecutor's memo emphasized that the analysis of the documents taken during the searches is labor-intensive and highlights the likelihood of further evidence and charges emerging as the investigation develops.

The investigation began in June 2022 but was kept secret until the police operation unfolded on October 7, leading to 14 arrests and 11 searches in locations throughout Madrid, Salamanca, and Cáceres.

Among those detained was Victor de Aldama, who was already under scrutiny for his involvement in another case, referred to as the Koldo case.

Following his arrest, he was remanded in custody but later changed his strategy, agreeing to collaborate with authorities after his release on November 21, 2022.

Aldama reportedly disclosed a meeting that occurred during the pandemic at the Ministry of Industry, facilitated by himself and Koldo Garcia, involving Juan Ignacio Díaz Bidart, a key aide to then-Minister Reyes Maroto.

The topic of discussion was the licensing of Rivas's company, Villafuel.

The Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office indicated that irregularities in the granting of this license had facilitated the massive fraud.

Aldama indicated that he had mediated to arrange the meeting, which led to expressions of gratitude from the daughter of the individual attending the meeting.

This individual, Leonor González Pano, is the daughter of Carmen Pano, who allegedly transported €90,000 to the PSOE headquarters on two occasions.

Subsequent to Aldama's statements, the UCO conducted another operation in December, resulting in further arrests, including Carmen Pano and her daughter.

The businesswoman confirmed the existence of the Industry meeting during her interrogations, stating that the Ministry had acted to assist them by facilitating the necessary documentation.

The meeting's details were further corroborated by Bidart in his testimony before the Supreme Court, where he was questioned regarding potential connections between José Luis Ábalos, a former minister, and the allegations of preferential treatment for the involved businesses, although prosecutors have indicated there is no evidence linking Ábalos to the matters at hand.

Carmen Pano's testimony has been central to these proceedings, as she acknowledged two cash payments made to the national PSOE headquarters in 2020 at Aldama's request.

Additionally, she provided thousands of invoices that reportedly substantiate the illicit nature of the fraudulent fuel scheme.

The UCO is currently reviewing this evidence and is expected to submit findings to the court soon.

The mobile phone of Aldama is an important focus for prosecutors; it allegedly contains information that may impact government officials.

Aldama has offered assistance in analyzing the contents of the device and has reportedly stored over one terabyte of information, including messages exchanged with government ministers.

Legal sources confirm that investigations into the phone's contents are ongoing, while Aldama seeks to restore the complete dataset of communications after asserting that the entire content was not returned to him.