Ex-Minister José Luis Ábalos' Home Raided Amid Corruption Investigation
Guardia Civil agents investigate alleged irregularities in public works contracts linked to the former minister.
On June 10, 2025, agents from the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Guardia Civil conducted a nine-and-a-half-hour raid at a residential property and a commercial space located at 102 Avenida de la Constitución in Valencia, owned by former Minister José Luis Ábalos.
This operation was ordered by Supreme Court Judge Leopoldo Puente following the submission of a report by the UCO indicating potential evidence of irregular public works contract awards during Ábalos' tenure as Minister of Transport.
The report allegedly detailed irregularities in contract allocations and suggested that Ábalos may have received illegal commissions.
Key evidence reportedly included conversations found on devices belonging to Koldo García, Ábalos’ former advisor, who was arrested in February 2024, where the ex-minister purportedly acknowledges financial benefits from tender processes.
The raid is part of a broader investigation known as Operation Delorme, or the Koldo case, which originally focused on purported irregular purchases of masks and other medical supplies during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The scope of the investigation has since expanded to include allegations of fraudulent public works contract awards following testimonies and documentation provided by businessman Víctor de Aldama, who is also under investigation.
During the operation, several digital files were seized for further examination, and the agents cloned Ábalos' mobile phones, which were subsequently returned to him.
After the raid, Ábalos reiterated his claims of innocence regarding his actions as Minister of Transport in the government led by Pedro Sánchez.
He has expressed a commitment to defending his integrity and criticized the media's portrayal of his case, asserting that his reputation has been irreparably harmed.
The search warrant was proposed by the UCO and approved by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.
The UCO’s report suggests that Ábalos may have exploited his ministerial role to facilitate collusion in contract awards to specific companies in exchange for kickbacks.
This information has been incorporated into a confidential segment of the investigation, which has not yet been accessible to the defense or other parties involved, aside from the prosecution.
Judge Puente has ordered the extraction of various data from Ábalos' mobile device, including emails, contact lists, call records, and messages exchanged through instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram.
This order also encompasses the seizure of diverse financial documents, including evidence of monetary transfers to foreign accounts, cryptocurrency wallets, and any assets that may serve as incriminating evidence.
The Supreme Court has previously identified Ábalos as holding a ‘main role’ in the corrupt network allegedly led by Koldo García and Aldama.
Despite being suspended from his party due to the allegations, he continues to serve as a deputy, now aligned with the Mixed Group.
The Supreme Court indicated that Ábalos was involved in receiving benefits linked to this purported corrupt activity, including the use of a residence in La Alcaidesa, Cádiz, and covering accommodation expenses for a partner who previously worked for public companies affiliated with the ministry.
In previous months, the UCO had been tasked by the magistrate to investigate the allocation of public works contracts and the irregular modifications highlighted in documents submitted by Aldama.
An expert report concluded that notes provided by Aldama regarding allegedly corrupt contract awards were in García’s handwriting.
Additionally, Judge Puente has recently requested information from CaixaBank and the Tax Agency dating back to January 2014 concerning Ábalos and the Fiadelso Foundation, connected to him and his family, to assess potential “irregular income” linked to the allegations of illegal payments against the former minister.
Prior to this investigation, the UCO had delivered a preliminary report detailing Ábalos’ assets, which included the property that was searched.
The document revealed that Ábalos has owned the residence since 1992, following his divorce.
The property is currently valued at 47,935.12 euros according to municipal tax data.
This operation was ordered by Supreme Court Judge Leopoldo Puente following the submission of a report by the UCO indicating potential evidence of irregular public works contract awards during Ábalos' tenure as Minister of Transport.
The report allegedly detailed irregularities in contract allocations and suggested that Ábalos may have received illegal commissions.
Key evidence reportedly included conversations found on devices belonging to Koldo García, Ábalos’ former advisor, who was arrested in February 2024, where the ex-minister purportedly acknowledges financial benefits from tender processes.
The raid is part of a broader investigation known as Operation Delorme, or the Koldo case, which originally focused on purported irregular purchases of masks and other medical supplies during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The scope of the investigation has since expanded to include allegations of fraudulent public works contract awards following testimonies and documentation provided by businessman Víctor de Aldama, who is also under investigation.
During the operation, several digital files were seized for further examination, and the agents cloned Ábalos' mobile phones, which were subsequently returned to him.
After the raid, Ábalos reiterated his claims of innocence regarding his actions as Minister of Transport in the government led by Pedro Sánchez.
He has expressed a commitment to defending his integrity and criticized the media's portrayal of his case, asserting that his reputation has been irreparably harmed.
The search warrant was proposed by the UCO and approved by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.
The UCO’s report suggests that Ábalos may have exploited his ministerial role to facilitate collusion in contract awards to specific companies in exchange for kickbacks.
This information has been incorporated into a confidential segment of the investigation, which has not yet been accessible to the defense or other parties involved, aside from the prosecution.
Judge Puente has ordered the extraction of various data from Ábalos' mobile device, including emails, contact lists, call records, and messages exchanged through instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram.
This order also encompasses the seizure of diverse financial documents, including evidence of monetary transfers to foreign accounts, cryptocurrency wallets, and any assets that may serve as incriminating evidence.
The Supreme Court has previously identified Ábalos as holding a ‘main role’ in the corrupt network allegedly led by Koldo García and Aldama.
Despite being suspended from his party due to the allegations, he continues to serve as a deputy, now aligned with the Mixed Group.
The Supreme Court indicated that Ábalos was involved in receiving benefits linked to this purported corrupt activity, including the use of a residence in La Alcaidesa, Cádiz, and covering accommodation expenses for a partner who previously worked for public companies affiliated with the ministry.
In previous months, the UCO had been tasked by the magistrate to investigate the allocation of public works contracts and the irregular modifications highlighted in documents submitted by Aldama.
An expert report concluded that notes provided by Aldama regarding allegedly corrupt contract awards were in García’s handwriting.
Additionally, Judge Puente has recently requested information from CaixaBank and the Tax Agency dating back to January 2014 concerning Ábalos and the Fiadelso Foundation, connected to him and his family, to assess potential “irregular income” linked to the allegations of illegal payments against the former minister.
Prior to this investigation, the UCO had delivered a preliminary report detailing Ábalos’ assets, which included the property that was searched.
The document revealed that Ábalos has owned the residence since 1992, following his divorce.
The property is currently valued at 47,935.12 euros according to municipal tax data.
Translation:
Translated by AI
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