The Erial case has enabled the Valencia Injunction Court to seize 5.4 million in cash or deposits and wire transfers, along with 16 properties and seven luxury cars tied to fifteen defendants and five associated companies under investigation, following the opening instructions for the oral hearing issued on October 7.
The case centers on allegations that Eduardo Zaplana, who led the Valencia regional government from 1995 to 2002, received bribes related to the bidding process for the Valencia Community Wind Energy Plan and the privatization of vehicle inspections (ITV). Alongside him sits the so-called front person for the former minister, Joaquín Barceló, known as “Pachano,” and Francisco Grau, who will appear on the defense bench, together with five commercial entities created by both figures as legal inspectors. Also implicated are Juan Francisco García, Mitsouko Henriquez—Zaplana’s former chief of staff and secretary—along with former Popular Party deputy Elvira Suanzes and her brother, plus three members of the Cotino family accused of accepting bribes in exchange for favorable treatment. José Luis Olivas, former Generalitat president, and several businessmen are named in the proceedings.
Trial dates could be set for late 2023 or sometime in 2024, but no specific timetable has been announced as it remains unclear which section of the Valencia Court will handle the Erial case.
During preliminary investigations, the 8th Investigations Court sanctioned the seizure of 12 bank accounts totaling 5.2 million euros, and 245,915 euros in cash uncovered during searches tied to the Erial inquiry prior to the hearing.
“Pachano,” the worst hit by seizures
Among the fifteen individuals surveyed, Joaquín Barceló, the alleged frontman, stands out for the magnitude of seized assets. A longtime associate of Zaplana dating back to youth and a member of Peña Picarol in Benidorm, Barceló previously held roles as general manager in tourism and corporate relations head at Terra Mitica. He is identified as the chief manager and a central node in a spanning business network that allegedly laundered funds. The network reportedly moved money through four Panamanian companies to Andorra, later funneling it back to Spain via Luxembourg-based merchants connected to Cotino. Properties linked to the Marina and the elite La Finca development in Madrid are also connected to these operations through entities such as Costera del Glorio, Medlevante, and Gesdesarrollos Integrales.
Investigators ordered the confiscation of 417,506.47 euros held in various investment funds, pension plans, and checking accounts, plus 54,000 euros seized at Barceló’s home at the time of arrest. His wife, listed as a profit beneficiary, faced confiscation of accounts totaling 121,076 euros. Additionally, seven other Barceló-managed companies, including Costera del Glorio, Gesdesarrollos Integrales, Medlevante, and Plan Partial 15 Antoneta, faced levies totaling 1,369,895.55 euros. Eight properties tied to Barceló and his business associates in Benidorm, Polop, La Vila Joiosa, and Jumilla were seized. Investigators suspect that some properties registered under Medlevante and Gesdesarrollos Integrales may actually belong to Zaplana, with Barceló acting as intermediary. Barceló temporarily lost the usufruct of a Land Rover and a BMW X3, used by the Civil Guard since January 14, 2019.
Juan Francisco García Gómez, Zaplana’s chief of staff from 1995 to 2002, chaired the Inter-ministerial Commission for the Rationalization of the Public Sector, which approved the privatization of ITVs. García faced liquid assets including 1,889,472.23 euros in pension plans, mutual funds, and mortgage loans, plus 6,169.45 euros from his company, Dobles Figuras Consultores. A Volvo S80 owned by García was also confiscated.
Financial engineering behind the scheme
Francisco Grau Jornet, a lawyer, tax consultant, economist, and professor of financial economics, emerges as another principal figure subject to seizure. Grau sat on the control committee of CAM and represented Terra Mítica. Regarded by investigators as the architect of financial engineering, he is accused of devising methods to conceal bribes and launder illicit gains. The confiscation from Grau and his wife totals 812,417.03 euros.
Additionally, 156,337.23 euros were seized from the bank accounts of four members connected to the Cotino family.
Overall, the Erial investigations have resulted in substantial asset freezes across multiple individuals and entities, underscoring the breadth of the alleged bribery scheme and its reach into public procurement and privatizations. The case continues to unfold as prosecutors prepare for hearings and potential trials, with investigators citing complex cross-border financial movements and corporate structures linked to real estate and tourism ventures as part of the alleged network. Attribution: court records and investigative summaries referenced in ongoing reporting on the Erial case.