Investigative sources consulted by Europa Press have confirmed these arrests, including that of Carmen Pano, although they emphasize that the arrest is exclusively part of the investigation into hydrocarbons being conducted by National Court Judge Santiago Pedraz, therefore unrelated to the alleged delivery of money at Ferraz.
Carmen Pano’s daughter was also arrested in an ultra-secret police operation for tax offenses and money laundering in which two other people were arrested, including Luis Alberto Escolano, one of Aldama’s partners in the alleged hydrocarbon scheme.
The Civil Guard conducted raids on Monday in Madrid, Calatayud (Zaragoza), Seville, and Toledo in a case where, among others, businessman Víctor de Aldama is being investigated for an alleged fraud in the hydrocarbon sector amounting to 182 million euros.
In a statement, the Civil Guard linked the four detainees to a «criminal organization» that allegedly had an «important corporate structure with which they would commit tax fraud», modified by its leaders «to achieve a greater degree of shyness and ensure the perfection of the fraud.
«Likewise, they had a parallel structure of companies both in Spain and in third countries for the subsequent laundering of illegally obtained amounts,» the Civil Guard adds when reporting on these arrests, expanding the actions initiated on October 7, 2024.
During the investigation, Judge Pedraz stated that «the criminal organization designed, implemented, and operated a parallel business structure that they used to perfect the laundering of generated capital.» «Thus, funds of criminal origin were transferred to bank accounts in their name, mainly from supplier accounts,» one of his resolutions states.
The judge pointed out that «since the money comes from suppliers, merchants who help reduce the price of hydrocarbons by not paying VAT, all the transferred money comes from the supposedly defrauded quota.» Specifically, up to now, «transfers abroad have been identified for a total of 73,902,852.60 euros to Portugal, Colombia, and China.»
It is worth noting that the UCO itself indicates in one of its reports that Escolano -one of the four detainees on Monday- «would have been used by De Aldama to conceal his assets through holdings both in the national territory and abroad.»
National Court Judge Ismael Moreno also stated in his reasoned presentation to the Supreme Court that Escolano, «De Aldama’s partner,» rented the Plaza España apartment where Jessica R., former partner of former Minister José Luis Ábalos, lived.
The UCO’s action by order of the National Court took place in parallel to businessman Víctor de Aldama’s statement before the Supreme Court as an investigator in the «Koldo case.» Judge Leopoldo Puente is investigating alleged irregularities agreed upon during the pandemic for the purchase of medical supplies at alleged inflated prices.
Last October, Judge Pedraz ordered the provisional detention of both De Aldama and his partner, Claudio Rivas, for their alleged participation in a 182 million euro tax fraud in the hydrocarbon sector. The judge granted the first’s release after his voluntary statement in the ‘Koldo case,’ but Rivas remains in custody.
In this case -which remains confidential- the judge is investigating both Maria Luisa Rivas as the head of the criminal organization and others as collaborators, as well as a series of frontmen located in the administrative bodies of supplier companies.
