Jose Luis Abalos

José Luis Ábalos, former Spanish Minister of Transport (2018–2021) and member of Congress (2009–2026), was convicted by the Supreme Court of Spain for his role in the Koldo case regarding pandemic-era corruption. In June 2026, Ábalos was sentenced to 24 years and 3 months in prison for criminal organization, bribery, embezzlement, and influence peddling. The court found he accepted bribes from businessman Víctor de Aldama to favor the company Soluciones de Gestión in securing 13 million mask contracts, received monthly €10,000 cash payments, and facilitated the hiring of associates in public companies. Investigations also linked him to the receipt of property benefits, including housing, in exchange for influence regarding the Air Europa bailout and a hydrocarbons license. Following his November 2025 entry into pre-trial detention, he became the first serving congressman incarcerated during Spain's current democratic era. The PSOE expelled him in 2024 after he refused to resign his parliamentary seat following his initial indictment. Additionally, 2025 media reports surfaced involving recordings of Ábalos arranging meetings with sex workers, leading the PSOE to implement a party-wide ban on the practice.