Jose Luis Zapatero

Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Prime Minister of Spain from 2004 to 2011, is currently the subject of an ongoing judicial investigation by the National Court (Audiencia Nacional) regarding his post-office activities. On May 19, 2026, he became the first former Spanish prime minister to be formally charged and investigated for criminal offenses. Judge Jose Luis Calama is overseeing the case, which alleges that Zapatero led an organized criminal network involved in influence peddling, money laundering, document forgery, and membership in a criminal organization. The investigation centers on the 2021 government bailout of the airline Plus Ultra; authorities suspect Zapatero facilitated the €53 million rescue in exchange for approximately €1.95 million in kickbacks, allegedly funneled through offshore accounts and the company What The Fav, which is owned by his daughters. Additional developments include: * Tax fraud and smuggling investigations: These were initiated after police searches of his office in May 2026 uncovered a safe containing luxury watches and jewelry valued at approximately €1.3 million. * Perjury allegations: The People’s Party is preparing a complaint, alleging that Zapatero provided false testimony during a Senate hearing on March 2, 2026, when he denied involvement with the Plus Ultra bailout. * International scrutiny: US authorities have reportedly included Zapatero on a list of individuals under investigation for alleged ties to Venezuelan government corruption. * Expansion of suspects: In June 2026, the judge expanded the probe to include Zapatero’s two daughters and his personal secretary as formal suspects. Zapatero has denied all allegations of wrongdoing, asserting that his professional activities were legal and that he never received commissions from Plus Ultra. As of June 2026, he remains under investigation, though requests to remand him in custody or withdraw his passport have been rejected. Prior to these events, his career was marked by academic controversy regarding his appointment as a university teaching assistant without a competitive examination, which was later identified as potential political favoritism. Beyond these matters, there were no reported corruption scandals during his tenure as Prime Minister.