At the center of the high-profile investigation are real estate deals in the outskirts of Madrid, where, according to investigators, businessman Manuel Salles was searching for luxury homes worth up to one million euros for a group linked to former transport chief José Luis Ábalos. Correspondence between the involved parties indicates an active search for suitable properties and discussions about sums ranging from 900,000 to one million euros.
Investigators paid particular attention to messages exchanged between Salles and Koldo García in December 2022. Analysis of mobile devices revealed not only discussions about real estate, but also contacts with high-ranking officials from Venezuela, in particular with the country’s vice president. These conversations touched on communication security and the organization of personal meetings, adding intrigue to the investigation.
The correspondence related to the house purchase shows a sense of urgency: Ábalos needed to speed up the transaction due to an upcoming trip to Cuba. García insisted on moving the date forward to complete all formalities before the departure. Salles, in turn, assured that the process was on track despite pressure from other participants.
In February 2022, García sent Salles links to several villas in Torrelodones, then asked to see more options. Among the suggested properties was a mansion in Hoyo de Manzanares. The discussion soon shifted to financial matters, where García clarified that Ábalos had not yet received the promised funds, but Salles assured him that the money would arrive in the coming days.
The investigation uncovered other episodes related to the purchase of real estate for the former minister. One of the police reports details an incident involving a villa on the Cádiz coast, in the prestigious La Alcaidesa development. The 350-square-meter house with sea views was chosen by Ábalos, but he was not meant to pay for it—this responsibility fell to a businessman involved in the scheme. The timing of the transaction coincided with the signing of major contracts for the supply of medical masks at the height of the pandemic, in which a company linked to those under investigation was involved.
Shortly after the contracts were signed, Ábalos and García started exchanging listings for houses on the Cádiz and Málaga coasts. Eventually, they settled on a villa worth nearly 600,000 euros, with the deal finalized in summer 2021. Investigators note that the purchase was registered to a business associate rather than the minister himself, which they believe was part of a scheme to conceal the true owner.
The case materials also mention an incident where members of the group attempted to arrange a meeting with the leadership of the Ministry of Industry to promote the interests of the fuel company Villafuel SL. On the same day, according to investigators, financial transactions took place among the scheme participants. All these details form a complex picture in which real estate, business, and politics are closely intertwined.
