Overview
- The Audiencia Nacional moved the instruction deadline to 21 June 2026 at the request of anticorruption prosecutor Luis Pastor with backing from popular accusers led by Hazte Oír.
- Judge Santiago Pedraz cited pending items including a definitive Hacienda valuation, responses to requests sent to Portugal and final analysis of materials seized in 2024 raids.
- The order leaves room for additional investigative steps and potential new defendants as the Guardia Civil’s UCO completes its forensic review.
- UCO currently estimates the alleged VAT losses at €231.7 million tied to operations using Villafuel S.L. and intermediary firms to avoid remitting tax.
- Víctor de Aldama was arrested in October 2024 and spent nearly two months in pretrial detention before his release after cooperating in the separate ‘Koldo’ case, which later prompted related Supreme Court inquiries.