The court decision in Almería to launch a separate investigation against the former president of Diputación de Almería has sent a notable signal across Spain. The focus is on alleged misuse of budget funds, which could shift the approach to oversight of regional public finances. As El Pais notes, these developments may impact public trust in government institutions and increase demands for transparency among officials.
The judge handling the so-called ‘mask procurement’ case has requested to separate the episode involving the trip taken by the former head of the Diputación, Javier Aureliano García, and his chief of staff to Madrid in the summer of 2025. According to investigators, expenses for the flight, accommodation, and organizational services totaled nearly 1,900 euros and were covered by the Diputación budget. The official reason for the trip was a meeting at the Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), but as found by the UCO, García never actually attended the event.
Case files include messages between García and his assistant, discussing how to justify the business trip. Investigators concluded that the trip was personal rather than official. The UCO report points out that during his stay in Madrid, García did not attend any official meetings and spent his time at a restaurant and a shopping center. The flight itself was arranged in such a way that they arrived after the official event had already ended.
Separate investigation
The judge emphasized that this episode is not directly linked to the main case regarding the procurement of medical supplies, as it concerns events that occurred after the disputed contracts were signed. The court ruling states that the use of Diputación funds for a trip unrelated to official duties requires separate legal assessment. The materials have now been transferred to another court for further proceedings.
García himself has already been summoned for questioning as part of the main corruption case involving the Diputación. He is accused of accepting bribes, embezzlement, money laundering, and fraud related to the awarding of government contracts. Investigators allege he may have used relatives’ accounts to conceal the origins of funds and discussed details of the illicit proceeds’ distribution with other suspects through encrypted messages.
During searches at García’s relatives’ residences, investigators found large amounts of cash and documents indicating possible money laundering schemes. Authorities believe some of the funds may have been used to pay off a mortgage and cover personal expenses. According to El Pais, the case involves dozens of suspects, including politicians and businesspeople.
Schemes and Allegations
The investigation traces back to the procurement of medical supplies worth about two million euros during the height of the pandemic in 2020. At that time, according to investigators, Diputación officials received substantial kickbacks for awarding overpriced contracts. The case mentions commission fees ranging from 200,000 to 400,000 euros, and the total number of suspects exceeds forty.
Investigators paid special attention to banking transactions involving Garcia’s relatives. According to UCO, part of the funds was transferred through accounts belonging to his sister and parents, which helped disguise the true origin of the money. Searches uncovered envelopes with cash and documents related to real estate and joint family businesses.
The suspects used a special code in their correspondence to discuss kickback amounts and details on distributing the funds. For example, references to “visits to the dentist” actually meant receiving another portion of the illegal profits. These details became central to building the case against the former Diputación leaders.
Reaction and consequences
The court’s decision to allocate a separate episode for independent investigation could set a precedent for other regions of Spain. Scrutiny of travel expense details and their justification has increased following a series of recent corruption scandals. According to russpain.com, such cases have already led to tighter oversight of municipal budget spending.
In the context of the investigation, it is worth noting that law enforcement had previously focused on the Garcia family’s banking transactions, particularly cash mortgage payments. More details are available in the article about the transfer scheme involving relatives of the former Almeria chief. These cases highlight the complexity of money-laundering schemes and the importance for investigators to uncover every detail of such operations.
In recent years, Spain has faced a series of high-profile corruption cases at various levels of government. In 2024, schemes involving fictitious business trips and inflated expenses for official travel were uncovered in Valencia and Malaga. Authorities in Barcelona investigated cases of officials spending budget funds for personal use. These events underscore that the fight against corruption and control of expenditures remain major challenges for Spain’s administrative system.
