Cousin of Madrid Mayor Testifies in Fraud Trial Involving Pandemic Purchase Scandal
In a courtroom session that reopened the ongoing scandal surrounding a fraudulent procurement case involving the Madrid City Council, Carlos Martínez-Almeida, the cousin of Madrid's Mayor, José Luís Martínez-Almeida, took the stand to explain his limited involvement with the accused entrepreneurs, Alberto Luceño and Luis Medina. Currently facing 15 and 9 years in prison respectively, Luceño and Medina are charged with defrauding the City Council during the pandemic, allegedly pocketing 6 million euros through the purchase of luxury goods.
Martínez-Almeida testified for a little over half an hour, contesting the implications of his involvement. He emphasized that his role was merely to provide a contact from the City Council to Medina, as he believed Medina was genuinely interested in helping the city during a time of crisis. Importantly, he clarified that he never spoke with Mayor José Luís Martínez-Almeida regarding his interaction with Medina.
In March 2020, Martínez-Almeida received a call from María Díaz de la Cebosa, a contact from an American university, informing him that Medina had access to protective sanitary materials and sought to offer assistance to Madrid, which was significantly affected by the pandemic. He claimed that Medina presented himself as someone with experience in the textile sector and mentioned the possibility of providing masks to the city.
Throughout his testimony, Martínez-Almeida maintained that he did not inquire whether the materials would be donated or sold, nor did he question Medina's credentials, ignorant of Medina's aristocratic background or reputation. He expressed that, due to his trust in Díaz de la Cebosa—a connection he described as a qualified and respected professional—he merely facilitated a contact by providing the generic email for communications with the Mayor's Office.
Martínez-Almeida's statement in court was underpinned by his assertion that no action or recommendation he could have provided would have influenced the City Council's decisions. He explained that he had merely reached out to Matilde García, the head of the Mayor's Office, to ensure that Medina's inquiries were properly addressed. García reaffirmed that she would check on the correctness of the email he had provided.
The case remains under scrutiny as both Luceño and Medina continue to face severe legal consequences for their actions during a critical time. The implications of such testimony may shape the understanding of how the Madrid City Council navigated partnerships and procurement under pandemic pressures. As the trial unfolds, all eyes will be on the subsequent proceedings to determine the full extent of alleged misconduct and the ramifications for those involved.
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