Judge imputes Ábalos' ex-partner and Koldo's brother in 'caso Koldo' hiring probe

The judge overseeing the 'caso Koldo' corruption investigation, Ismael Moreno, has formally imputed Jessica Rodríguez, the ex-partner of former minister José Luis Ábalos, along with Joseba García (brother of Koldo García) and Ignacio Zaldívar (former ADIF administrative director), for alleged malversation linked to Rodríguez's irregular hiring at state-owned companies Ineco and Tragsatec Source: ABC, El Mundo. All three are summoned to testify as investigados on July 20.

The allegations

The move follows the Supreme Court's recent conviction of Ábalos and Koldo García, which detailed a scheme to place Rodríguez in phantom jobs. According to the sentence, Rodríguez was hired at Ineco in March 2019 with no actual work duties, receiving €34,450 net, and later at Tragsatec, where she earned €9,500.54 without performing any labor Source: El Confidencial. The court found that Koldo García, with his brother Joseba's help, orchestrated the hiring and instructed Rodríguez to claim she worked for Joseba when questioned Source: Infobae.

Broader implications

Anticorruption prosecutors argue that the proven facts from the Supreme Court case have a "intimate connection" to the new charges, which include malversation and influence peddling Source: El Mundo. The investigation also implicates Zaldívar for his role in facilitating the Tragsatec contract after Ineco's term ended. Judge Moreno's decision signals an expansion of the probe into the network that enabled the public-sector cronyism condemned by the high court.