Madrid (Spain), 22 June (LaPresse) – The Spanish Supreme Court has sentenced the former Minister of Transport and former number three in the Socialist Party, José Luis Abalos to 24 years and 3 months’ imprisonment and his former adviser Koldo García to 19 years, eight months and one day’s imprisonment for the offences of criminal conspiracy, corruption, embezzlement and influence peddling, in connection with the so-called ‘mask case’. The case concerns bribes and rigged tenders for the supply of face masks and medical equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic, when Abalos was a minister in Pedro Sánchez’s second government. The businessman Víctor de Aldama, who was granted the mitigating circumstance of cooperating with the authorities, was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months’ imprisonment for the offences of criminal association and corruption. The court decided to suspend the sentence in view of his contribution to the investigation of the offences, on condition that he does not commit any further offences, submits a half-yearly report on his activities and carries out community service for one year. The verdict, passed unanimously, concludes that the three defendants formed a criminal organisation with a division of roles, which committed serious offences of corruption.
Spain: Former minister in Sánchez’s government sentenced to 24 years for corruption
Madrid (Spain), 22 June (LaPresse) – The Spanish Supreme Court has sentenced the former Minister of Transport and former number three in the Socialist Party, José Luis Abalos to 24 years and 3 months’ imprisonment and his former adviser Koldo García to 19 years, eight months and one day’s imprisonment for the offences of criminal conspiracy, corruption, embezzlement and influence peddling, in connection with the so-called ‘mask case’. The case concerns bribes and rigged tenders for the supply of face masks and medical equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic, when Abalos was a minister in Pedro Sánchez’s second government. The businessman Víctor de Aldama, who was granted the mitigating circumstance of cooperating with the authorities, was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months’ imprisonment for the offences of criminal association and corruption. The court decided to suspend the sentence in view of his contribution to the investigation of the offences, on condition that he does not commit any further offences, submits a half-yearly report on his activities and carries out community service for one year. The verdict, passed unanimously, concludes that the three defendants formed a criminal organisation with a division of roles, which committed serious offences of corruption.
