Disgraced ex-transport minister Jose Abalos has reportedly requested his first conjugal visit after being sent to the ‘plush’ Soto Real prison in Madrid.
According to Spanish reports, the once key ally of socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is adapting ‘well’ behind bars.
He has been visited by his ex-partner Andrea who has brought him clothes and books, and he spends his time walking or playing board games, sources claim.
It comes as the so-called Koldo case, which led to his incarceration on November 27, continues to widen its scope.
It is one of the most damaging corruption scandals to hit Spain’s governing PSOE in recent years.
At its core, the investigation centres on alleged irregularities in public contracts awarded during the Covid-19 pandemic, with possible political influence reaching into the highest levels of government.
The case takes its name from Koldo Garcia Izaguirre, a former adviser and close aide to Abalos, who was one of PM Sanchez’s most trusted allies until his dismissal in July 2021.
How the scandal began
The investigation was triggered by contracts awarded in 2020 and 2021 for the emergency purchase of face masks and other medical supplies at the height of the pandemic.
Prosecutors suspect that commissions were paid in exchange for facilitating contracts through public bodies, particularly Puertos del Estado and Adif, both dependent on the Ministry of Transport.
In February 2024, the Guardia Civil arrested Koldo Garcia, accusing him of acting as an intermediary between suppliers and public officials.
Investigators allege that Garcia received kickbacks and channelled influence using his proximity to Abalos.
Abalos’s alleged role – and current life behind bars
The Guardia Civil has analysed phone records, messages and financial movements suggesting that people in Abalos’s orbit benefited from contracts worth millions of euros.
Abalos was expelled from the PSOE parliamentary group in February 2024, shortly after the arrests, though he continues to deny any wrongdoing and insists he was unaware of illicit activities.
On November 27, Spain’s Supreme Court judge Leopoldo Puente ordered the pre-trial imprisonment, without bail, of both Abalos and Koldo.
The judge cited risk of flight as justification for their detention. Both men were transferred to Soto del Real prison, near Madrid, where they are currently being held in the same module.
The investigation focuses on an alleged corruption network linked to the purchase of face masks and medical supplies during the pandemic.
Prosecutors suspect that contracts were steered in exchange for commissions, with intermediaries exploiting their proximity to political power.
The case is being handled at Supreme Court level due to Abalos’s former status as a minister.
Since entering prison, Abalos has attracted media attention for how he is adapting to life behind bars.
According to reports, he spends his time reading, walking, playing board games and maintaining a routine.
He has received visits from his former partner Andrea, who has brought him clothing and books. Abalos has now formally requested his first vis-a-vis – or conjugal visit – which is pending approval by prison authorities.
Security around both inmates is tight. Daily searches and controls using sniffer dogs have been put in place to prevent photographs being taken inside the prison. Both men underwent standard intake procedures on arrival, including medical checks and interviews with prison management.
Meanwhile, the judicial investigation continues to widen. Alongside the mask contracts, judges are examining related financial movements, possible kickbacks, and links to intermediaries such as Víctor de Aldama, as well as subsequent attempts to influence licensing processes in other sectors.
The case has also fed into a broader political crisis within the PSOE, coinciding with resignations and internal scandals unrelated but damaging to the party.
As of now, the case remains open, with further charges, indictments or additional arrests not ruled out.
Victor de Aldama and the widening of the case
Attention has recently shifted to Victor de Aldama, a businessman and alleged fixer who prosecutors believe helped coordinate contracts and payments. Aldama has since been charged and has cooperated partially with investigators, providing information that has widened the scope of the inquiry.
His testimony has been key to linking different strands of the case, including contacts with senior officials and attempts to influence licensing processes in sectors beyond health supplies.
The Villafuel connection and VAT fraud probe
In late 2025, the case expanded again with a parallel investigation into Villafuel, a fuel trading company allegedly involved in a €182.5 million VAT fraud between 2022 and 2024.
Guardia Civil reports submitted to the National Court suggest that some of the same intermediaries linked to the Koldo case attempted to use political connections to secure licences and favourable treatment.
This has reignited scrutiny of Abalos’s relationships after leaving office and has drawn in new figures from the PSOE’s organisational structure.
Political fallout
The scandal has caused significant internal damage to the PSOE. Several senior figures have resigned in recent months amid criticism of how the party handled internal warnings and allegations.
The case has also fuelled wider controversy over transparency, ethics and internal controls, particularly following the separate harassment scandal involving Francisco Salazar.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has sought to distance the government from the affair, insisting the judiciary must act independently and that no one is above the law.
