Spanish investigators are examining whether the businessman Cristian Corvillo arranged money for a property purchase linked to the former minister José Luis Ábalos This is according to a report by Guardia Civil which several Spanish media outlets reported on 12 November 2026. The suspicion concerns the purchase of a commercial property and a parking space in Madrid by Andrea de la Torre, Ábalos’s partner.
According to news website elDiario.es, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office is also relying on the investigators’ findings. They are looking into whether Corvillo may have passed funds on to people close to the former minister. The investigation is connected with the so-called Koldo case, which is among other things investigating possible illegal payments linked to public contracts. The allegations do not amount to proof of guilt.
De la Torre bought the property, classified as industrial land, and the parking space in April 2024 for a total of €125,000. According to investigative documents cited by elDiario.es and TV channel La Sexta, she had previously received a €65,000 loan from a Portuguese company. The company is formally managed by a third party. However, investigators see indications that Corvillo may have exerted influence over the company.
According to the reports, the Guardia Civil suspects that Ábalos sought financing for his partner’s purchase and that Corvillo played a role. The origin of the funds and any possible link to alleged illegal commissions remain under investigation. The fact that investigators suspect such a link does not mean it has been established by a court.
There are differing accounts of the financing: according to investigators, no mortgage was taken out for the purchase. However, sources close to De la Torre’s defence told elDiario.es that there had been a mortgage, which was paid off with the help of a loan involving Corvillo. According to a report by El País, Ábalos had said the purchase was financed by two loans.
The investigation led to searches and arrests on 5 November. According to public broadcaster Canal Sur, those arrested, including Corvillo and De la Torre, were released. Corvillo had Pedro Sánchez driven on some journeys during the Socialists’ internal primaries in 2017; this does not establish any involvement by the head of government in the events under investigation.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).