In October 2025, the Supreme Court of Spain once again turned its attention to the financial affairs of the former Minister of Transport and his ex-advisor. Judge Leopoldo Puente scheduled new interrogations for José Luis Ábalos and Koldo García, which will take place in the middle of the month. The reason was new evidence provided by a division of the Civil Guard, revealing significant sums not supported by bank transactions, as well as suspicious cash deposits made between 2017 and 2021.
According to the investigators’ report, over several years, Ábalos spent more than 95,000 euros whose origins are unclear. These expenses are not reflected in any banking documents, which further raises suspicions of unreported income. Particular attention is paid to how funds may have circulated between the former minister and his advisor, bypassing official channels.
Interestingly, the case materials include unusual communication methods between the parties involved. Coded words were used to refer to large denomination bills and cash: “chistorrras” for 500 euros, “soles” for 200, “lechugas” for 100, and “folios” for cash in general. Investigators believe that Koldo García and his wife essentially managed these funds, using secret terminology to conceal the true nature of the transactions.
The judge noted that there were overlaps between Ábalos’s personal finances and those of his advisor. García regularly covered expenses that should have been the former minister’s responsibility: alimony, household staff salaries, gifts, mortgage payments, travel, and other personal costs. The total amount of such payments turned out to be quite substantial. Moreover, there is no evidence that Ábalos reimbursed his aide for these sums, which may suggest hidden schemes or cash repayments.
Case materials also show that from 2014 to 2017, Ábalos was withdrawing cash, then suddenly stopped such transactions up until 2024. This circumstance does not match his previous explanations about the nature of his relationship with the advisor, which he described as purely professional and domestic.
The new interrogations will be the fourth round for both defendants. The case is now divided into two parts: one concerns mask procurement, and the other deals with possible manipulations involving government contracts, where another former party official is also implicated. All parties have been invited to participate in both parts of the investigation, as the new information may prove significant for both lines of inquiry.
