Conditional Release Granted to Businessman Victor de Aldama Amid Hydrocarbon Fraud Case
The National Court judge, AN Santiago Pedraz, has ordered the conditional release of businessman Victor de Aldama, who is embroiled in the notable Koldo case. This decision comes after de Aldama provided multiple confessions during his voluntary statement on Thursday. As part of the precautionary measures imposed by the magistrate, de Aldama must surrender his passport and report to the court weekly.
Pedro, who heads the Central Investigating Court Number 5, took this step shortly after receiving a release request from the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's office. While de Aldama’s testimony pertains to the Koldo case overseen by Judge Ismael Moreno, it was Judge Pedraz who initially ordered his provisional detention, linking him to allegations of hydrocarbon fraud.
Legal sources cited by Europa Press indicate that de Aldama submitted a new plea for release on the same Thursday he was granted conditional release, as he is under investigation for alleged fraud amounting to 182 million euros within the hydrocarbon sector. He is being investigated alongside his partner Claudio Rivas and several purported accomplices and front men.
In response to the situation, the President of the Government has publicly declared his calm, asserting that all statements made by de Aldama regarding his involvement in the Koldo plot are false. He has stressed that de Aldama will need to provide evidence to back his claims.
Judge Pedraz's initial decision for Aldama's imprisonment occurred on October 10, largely due to the gravity of the crimes he is accused of, suggesting that the potential penalties would likely pose a risk of de Aldama evading justice. Although de Aldama appealed this decision, both Pedraz and the Criminal Chamber of the National Court upheld the decision for his continued incarceration, citing the risk of flight and concerns about potential destruction of evidence as significant reasons for his provisional detention.
As legal proceedings continue, the case remains complex and under scrutiny, waiting to see how the allegations and defenses evolve in the days to come.
Related Sources: