The businessman Victor de Aldama For now, he will remain in prison. The Criminal Chamber of the National Court rejected the appeal presented by his defense against the order of Judge Santiago Pedraz to send him to provisional prison for the appeal fuel plot.
This network allegedly defrauded more than 182 million euros in VAT through a network of hydrocarbon companies. And Aldama and his partner Claudio Rivas They would be their leaders.
In a resolution dated this Friday, the Third Section of the Criminal Chamber expresses that there is an obvious risk that Aldama will flee Spain. In addition, justice is investigating the fate of nearly 74 million euros which are located outside of Spain. Specifically, to bank accounts in Portugal, Colombia and China.
Likewise, the Chamber rejects the request for annulment alleged by the defense of the businessman, who pointed out that there had been The maximum detention period of three days was exceeded when Aldama was arrested by the Civil Guard.
The resolution indicates that his obstruction took place on October 8, at 8:05 a.m. And he entered the dungeons of the National Court to testify before Judge Pedraz on the 10th, at 7:05 a.m. “Even 72 hours have not passed. [máximas de detención que marca la ley]”conclude the magistrates of the Third Section, hierarchically superior to Judge Pedraz, whom they approve on this occasion.
The Case Instructor fuel plot sent Rivas and Aldama to prison for the alleged crimes of belonging to criminal organization, money laundering and against the public treasury.
The court, in its order, emphasizes that the investigation is still in its early stages: there are still many documents seized in the archives which are awaiting analysis and which could give rise to new procedures. And if those under investigation are released, they could be frustrated “or, at least, made difficult.”
The Criminal Chamber recalls that a significant part of what was defrauded (nearly 74 million euros) could have been transferred to accounts abroad, which is why it is necessary to locate and block it . The total amount of money allegedly laundered is also not definitively quantified.
“Today, thanks to telematic means, [Aldama] could continue to operate with funds deposited abroad and hide the channels used to transfer funds to third countries”, illustrates the resolution, which also highlights that the person under investigation could destroy evidence.
This leads the Chamber to agree to reject his defense’s appeal and keep the businessman in prison.
On the other hand, Aldama is the considered intermediary/commissioner of the so-called Koldo affair. In this case, investigated by another judge of the National Court, we analyze the functioning of another criminal network dedicated, supposedly, to the collection of illegal commissions through public contracts.
The case takes the name of Koldo Garcia Izaguirrewho was an advisor to José Luis Ábalos when he was Minister of Transport.
