Spanish corruption probe targets ex-Minister, ties emerge with Morocco bank account
As part of the investigation, the Spanish Supreme Court has issued an order requesting that Morocco's Bank of Africa provide full details related to a bank account suspected of being linked to the network. The broader probe involves 479 bank accounts across 35 financial institutions, including 12 foreign banks.
Although the account in question has a Spanish IBAN and was opened at the bank's Madrid branch, investigators are focusing on the Bank of Africa's headquarters in Morocco. The judicial order specifies that «the requested information must be submitted by the bank's central authority without notifying the branch or office where the account was opened, nor the account holder or any third party, to preserve the confidentiality of the investigation».
Authorities have asked for the identification of all financial products tied to the account, including safety deposit boxes, whether held by individuals or legal entities. The account was opened in 2011 and closed in March 2021, just months before Ábalos exited the Spanish government.
This is not the only mention of Morocco in the case. In an audio recording dated April 9, 2019, Koldo García, a former advisor to Ábalos, can be heard discussing potential kickbacks for awarding public contracts. «There's also the Morocco issue, that's going to come up, and no one's going to say a word», García said.
The recording was made just two and a half months after Ábalos visited Morocco in January 2019, representing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. During that trip, he met with Morocco's Prime Minister and five ministers overseeing infrastructure portfolios.
Talks focused on Morocco's high-speed rail project, with Ábalos expressing Spain's interest in contributing through its companies. Discussions also touched on highway development and Casablanca's new tram lines, a project eyed by a Spanish company based in the Gipuzkoa region.
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