Spain's Supreme Court orders Ábalos, Koldo and Aldama to pay 647,000 euros

The order

Spain's Supreme Court has opened the enforcement phase of the sentence in the face masks case, known in Spain as the caso mascarillas or caso Koldo. In an order issued on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, the court's criminal chamber gave former transport minister José Luis Ábalos, his former adviser Koldo García Izaguirre and businessman Víctor de Aldama 15 days to pay a combined 647,000 euros. The total covers fines, confiscated proceeds and civil compensation. The sentence, handed down on 22 June, imposed 24 years in prison on Ábalos. Koldo García received 19 years and Aldama four years, although El Periódico gives 19.5 and 4.5 years for them respectively. Aldama avoided going to prison because he cooperated with the justice system.

Fines and confiscation

The individual fines are 52,500 euros for Ábalos, 45,750 euros for García and 75,000 euros for Aldama. Separately, the three men must answer for a confiscation of 430,298 euros, which the judgment identified as the gains obtained by the group. According to the order, all three benefited from that sum, and Aldama was the one tasked with distributing it. The court therefore establishes joint liability among the convicted men until the full gains are covered. The 15-day window applies to all of these payments.

José Luis Ábalos52,500

Koldo García45,750

Víctor de Aldama75,000

José Luis Ábalos

52500 EUR

Koldo García

45750 EUR

Víctor de Aldama

75000 EUR

Data from the article text

Compensation for Ineco and Tragsatec

The order also requires Ábalos and García Izaguirre to compensate the public companies Ineco and Tragsatec, jointly and severally, as civil liability. The amounts are 34,450 euros for Ineco and 9,500.54 euros for Tragsatec. Both firms are linked to Jéssica Rodríguez, Ábalos's former partner, who was placed at them and drew pay without working there. Aldama is not named in this compensation requirement, which covers only Ábalos and García.

Enforcement and next steps

If the fines and compensation are not paid within the deadline, the court will proceed by enforcement (vía de apremio). The Oficina de Recuperación y Gestión de Activos (ORGA) will manage and dispose of the confiscated sums still owed by the three convicted men. The court also ordered the liquidation of the prison sentences, applying the maximum time limits set in the judgment. El Periódico gives those limits as 15 years and 18 months for Ábalos and 15 years for García Izaguirre, while one Europa Press version gives 16 years for Ábalos. Aldama must appear before the court every six months to report on his work, business and commercial activities. Some versions give two weeks rather than 15 days for the payments.