Overview

• Felipe Martínez Rico, ex chief of staff to Cristóbal Montoro, filed an appeal directly to the Audiencia Provincial de Tarragona accusing the instructor of procedural irregularities and asking to nullify the probe.
• The filing challenges seven years of court-ordered secrecy, calling it disproportionate and a source of indefensión for those under investigation.
• Equipo Económico has separately asked the provincial court to throw out evidence, arguing key emails stem from a Messer Ibérica search in another case without proper judicial authorization.
• The case remains active with formal imputations to Montoro and dozens more, as the judge cites indicia of a network that sought regulatory changes favoring gas-sector clients between 2014 and 2018.
• Defense arguments also highlight 2022 TSJM rulings that annulled roughly €300,000 in tax assessments against Econodos on territorial grounds, while UCO and Tax Agency reports describe Econodos as a hollow vehicle and track about €11 million to Ricardo Martínez Rico.