National Court judge Ismael Moreno opened a new confidential branch of the Koldo proceedings after receiving a Guardia Civil Central Operational Unit (UCO) report on suspected manipulation of public-works tenders. The material was added to preliminary proceedings 65/2023, in branch eight, which focuses on public-works contracts. The judicial order, seen by EL MUNDO, records the move.
EL MUNDO, citing investigation sources, reports that the UCO operation began early on 5 November 2026, with searches at private homes and businesses in Madrid, Valencia, Seville and Córdoba. Investigators are also seeking information from Adif's Madrid headquarters. Agents have travelled to Valencia and searched Ábalos's home. Adif said it had received and complied with the information request. Andrea de la Torre, Ábalos's partner, has been questioned. The Guardia Civil has detained Cristian Corvillo, former driver to Pedro Sánchez, for questioning. El País reported six arrests in connection with the operation.
The Audiencia Nacional is directing the operation, with the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office participating. The new investigative line concerns alleged irregularities in public contracts awarded during Ábalos's time at the Transport Ministry. Investigators are scrutinising contracts connected to Adif and the Directorate-General of Roads, examining allegations that construction companies received preferential treatment in exchange for illicit payments.
The new line follows analysis of electronic devices seized from Ábalos and his former adviser Koldo García, as well as devices taken from former PSOE organisation secretary Santos Cerdán. The UCO report says the review identified further people allegedly linked to the public-works tender-rigging scheme. The public-works inquiry is separate from the earlier investigation into pandemic-era face-mask contracts.
The UCO searched Ábalos's Valencia home in June 2025 during an earlier major operation into public-works contracts awarded under his watch as transport minister. EL MUNDO reports that the Tribunal Supremo sentenced him to 24 years in prison for nine corruption offences. The court's sentence calculation puts the effective term at 16 years and six months.
