Política

The economic and fiscal crime unit (UDEF) of the Police attributes to the daughters of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Laura and Alba, a significant role in the issuance of false invoices that would have served to cover up payments linked to an alleged influence peddling in the environment of the former prime minister. In its report, the Police states that the activity of Zapatero’s daughters’ company, Whathefav, would have allowed “generating ad hoc billing intended to provide formal coverage for certain financial or commercial movements” through fake reports.

The National Court suspects that part of the 53 million euros from the Plus Ultra bailout approved by the Government of Pedro Sánchez were transferred “immediately” to opaque bank accounts of shell companies that have acted in the sale of gold of unknown origin. This is evident from the arrest warrant issued on March 17 by the investigator José Luis Calama against Rodolfo Reyes, one of the airline’s shareholders, whose mobile phone was seized by the United States, the content of which delivered to Spain has been key to charging José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

Judge José Luis Calama detects in the case file related to the investigation of the environment of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero several practices regarding the shell companies used to simulate activity. He accredits cases such as that of the company Caletón, in which the secretary of the Plus Ultra board, Santiago Fernández, encouraged to “make more movements” to “give it content” and “dilute” the payments. It is about “giving substance” and hiding operations.

The details of the judicial summary have only worsened the legal situation of the former head of government José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who in a week has to appear before Judge José Luis Calama to try to convince him that everything stated by himself, the UDEF, and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office is a series of errors or malicious interpretations. About thirty jewels kept in the safe of his official office were seized by the Police, who must now assess them.

The National Police found 286,070 euros in cash at the home of Julio Martínez Martínez, a businessman from Alicante and friend of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, investigated in the judicial case known as the Plus Ultra case. The money, according to a report from the Central Unit of Economic and Fiscal Crime (UDEF) included in the file, was found in different parts of the property, hidden in bags, toiletry bags, and furniture compartments.

Retired commissioner José Manuel Villarejo spoke with the former Secretary of State for Security Francisco Martínez about alleged payments of “10,000 euros every month” that the former PP treasurer Luis Bárcenas would have made to the former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

The alleged influence scheme of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is said to have met with a “guy from SEPI” (State Society of Industrial Participations), according to a report from the Economic and Financial Crimes Unit of the Police contained in the case file accessed by La Vanguardia. In that meeting, in addition to the “guy from SEPI,” one of the shareholders of Plus Ultra, Roberto Roselli; the friend and alleged frontman of the former Prime Minister, Julio Martínez Martínez; and Zapatero himself participated in a “clandestine” manner.

The UDEF agents who entered the official office of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero last Tuesday seized numerous documents, which are currently being analyzed by the investigators. As stated in the case file accessed by La Vanguardia, the agents seized more than twenty folders, another twenty agendas, and several hard drives.

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero would have used his private residence “for sensitive dealings and receipt of shipments.” This is evident from the case file, accessed by La Vanguardia, in which Zapatero is being investigated as the alleged leader of “an influence trafficking network.” The judge of the National Court José Luis Calama has summoned the former Prime Minister to testify on June 2 to provide explanations about the alleged kickbacks that the network would have collected for the bailout of the airline Plus Ultra, approved by the Council of Ministers in March 2021 for 53 million euros.

The details of the case affecting the airline Plus Ultra for allegedly having paid for influence to secure a bailout of 53 million euros reveal their ways of proceeding. In a conversation found on the phone of one of the investigated, there is talk of paying ladies in cash, after having received 50,000 euros in cash. “We have to take care of the judges, police, and officials hehe,” they boast in messages sent on New Year’s Eve 2020.