The judge in the Zapatero case, José Luis Calama, has also requested that the UDEF of the National Police exclude unnecessary or irrelevant information for the investigation from its reports, as well as personal data that may affect the privacy of those under investigation. The magistrate in the Plus Ultra case made this request after being prompted by former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who expressed outrage when his chats with his secretary, Gertrudis Alcázar, were leaked, as well as his diary for the past two years.In his ruling, Calama shares the concern about data from the summary being leaked externally and recalls that he has opened an investigation to determine the origin of the leaks. In this regard, he emphasizes that he has asked the Deputy Directorate General for Promotion and Innovation, which reports to the Ministry of Justice, to issue a technical report on additional measures that can be taken to protect the documents in the summary and "prevent them from being disseminated without judicial authorization."
Tax Agency opened less than a month ago a tax investigation into Zapatero and his family
The Tax Agency asks Judge Calama if it should stop it so as not to overlap with the National Court
MadridThe National High Court judge José Luis Calama is not the only one investigating José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. The Tax Agency also is. A communication sent by the Spanish Treasury to the magistrate reveals that less than a month ago it opened a tax investigation against the former Spanish president and his family. Specifically, the Tax Agency initiated the inspection against Zapatero on June 15 of this year, when he was already implicated in the National High Court for influence peddling, criminal organization, and document forgery and a few days after it opened a separate case for the jewelry found in his office. On the same day, another tax investigation was opened against his wife, Sonsoles Espinosa.
The period that the Tax Agency has put under the spotlight is mainly from 2021 to 2024 in relation to the IRPF (Personal Income Tax) and wealth tax declarations. It also investigates his VAT payments from the second quarter of 2022 to the fourth quarter of 2024. The focus extends to several decades regarding the temporary solidarity tax on large fortunes, which is being reviewed between 2002 and 2024. A few days later, on June 22, the Madrid Tax Agency added the couple's daughters, Laura and Alba Rodríguez Espinosa, to the investigation, focusing on the IRPF between 2021 and 2024. On June 26, an investigation was launched against his company, What The Fav, in the same period, concerning corporate tax and VAT.
Given the ongoing criminal investigation in the National High Court, the Tax Agency has approached Judge Calama to ask him if this administrative procedure should be halted to avoid stepping on toes and interfering with the judicial case. It is the magistrate who must order the halt, according to the Spanish Treasury's filing, which emphasizes that the facts being verified "could directly depend on the facts and conduct being investigated" by Calama. In an order this Friday, the National High Court judge asks the Public Prosecutor's Office to state its position before deciding what to order the Tax Agency.
In parallel, the Tax Agency of the Valencian Community has also informed Calama that it is investigating another of the defendants, Zapatero's friend and alleged straw man, Julio Martínez Martínez. According to the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard, it is he who allegedly channeled the alleged irregular payments to Zapatero and his family through a corporate structure. The investigation against him began one week after that of the former Spanish president, on June 23, focusing on personal income tax. Furthermore, eleven companies, investigated since June 19, have joined the tax investigation. Some of these, such as Voli Analítica or Idella Consulenza, linked to Julio Martínez Martínez, appear in the police reports of the summary of the case being investigated by Calama at the National Court.
The cause of the jewels
In parallel to the case concerning the Plus Ultra bailout, Judge Calama has another investigation underway into jewelry worth 1.3 million euros that the UCO found in Zapatero's office. The former Spanish president has not yet testified on this matter nor has he clarified the origin of the precious metals. Just this week, the State Attorney's Office has joined this other case on behalf of the Spanish Tax Agency as a potential victim. In this second proceeding, the former president is charged with alleged tax fraud and smuggling.