The year opens with a busy judicial calendar focused on fair appointments and major corruption proceedings. In total, 44 individuals are accused in various corruption investigations. It is claimed that a number of the cases will proceed to public hearings in 2024. Several segments of the Taula case, including some that are nearing conclusion, await the completion of investigations before being referred to the Valencia County Court for trial. The defendants include four individuals in the Taula B segment from Valencia PP, fifteen in Erial, five in Requena and Enguera’s Taula segment, one in the Taula asset removal case concerning Caturla, three in the Egevasa portion of the Asesorías case, and sixteen in the Avialsa or fire cartel matter slated for the National Court. The structure of these proceedings reflects a broad effort to untangle a wide network of alleged improper conduct across multiple subsidiaries and public bodies.
Three additional Taula-Imelsa segments are awaiting the conclusion of investigations and an order opening oral hearings. These include Part C, which centers on alleged money laundering linked to Alfonso Rus, the Ministry of Culture contracts, Valencia City Council, and bribes allegedly received by Marcos Benavent. The core defendants in this cluster include Vicente Burgos, the ex-husband of former Cultural Councilor Maria José Alcón, as well as Marcos Benavent, the former head of Imelsa, the public company of the Valencia Provincial Council. The case contends fraud and bribery across several municipalities and public agencies, with ongoing probes shaping upcoming court actions.
ZAPLANA LAND OF WATER
Lawsuit over alleged corruption tied to ITV and Wind Plan
In the Erial matter, fifteen individuals and four legal entities face trial over alleged bribes connected to the awarding of Technical Vehicle Inspection ITV contracts and Wind Plan concessions. Among the defendants are former Generalitat presidents Eduardo Zaplana and José Luis Olivas, along with two alleged intermediaries and the former chief of staff from Zaplana’s inner circle. The trial is set to begin in the fourth department of the Valencian Court on February 1. This proceeding mirrors a broader probe into bribes or small-scale money movements that spanned roughly six years and involved fifty former council members and consultants facing similar charges. The People’s Party is named as a legal entity in this archival segment of the Taula case as well. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office has suggested a potential prison term of up to 19 years for Zaplana.
RECOMMENDATION TOPIC
Sancho Sempere returns to the bench for water contract
José Antonio Sancho Sempere, once the secretary of Canet d’En Berenguer, is scheduled to stand trial again in May on charges of alleged bribes tied to non-existent or non-operational reports that enabled Egevasa, a public company, to secure an extension of the town’s water service contract in the Camp de Morvedre area. The Valencian Public Prosecutor’s Office accuses the company of paying 98,110 euros to Sancho Sempere to guarantee the contract extension and to ensure a smooth, rapid process. Sancho Sempere is said to have had effective control over Canet’s town hall, and prosecutors contend that he authored four reports that were either fictitious or legally deficient and therefore useless.
CASTELLIAN RIFLE
Work allocation in firefighting contracts
A total of sixteen people stand accused of belonging to a criminal group allegedly manipulating the bidding and awarding of firefighting and related contracts tied to air navigation. The National Court will hear the case starting in September, with former Interior Minister Serafín Castellano facing a proposed 21-year sentence by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor. The former mayor of Benisanó is charged with forging official documents, bribery, embezzlement, illicit association, and possible rewards from the so-called fire cartel, involving a reported 167,177.02 euros.
GÜRTEL’S LAST FAILURE
The future of the camps and 25 defendants will be decided
Looking ahead to 2024, the final Valencian piece of Gürtel land is expected to be resolved. The case involves contracts under 12,000 euros and links to businessman Francisco Correa, the leader of Gürtel. A total of 26 people are named in this segment, including a former Generalitat president and several former council members. Prosecutors outline that the matter could involve a year of potential penalties for influence-peddling, with Gürtel’s influence interpreted as removing obstacles to hiring rather than direct intervention.
The Valencian Court has reviewed Rita Barberá’s box “B” from 2007 and 2011. In 2024, three more Taula-Imelsa segments will reach trial as the tenth anniversary of the filing of the initial complaint that gave rise to this macro corruption case is marked. Three segments have already been tried (Thematic Events, Ciegsa-related matters, Imelsa and the call center); several other components have been archived or await completion of investigations. Beginning January 23, the second stage of the Valencian Court will hear the case against the Valencia City PP leadership tied to alleged vote-buying in the 2007 and 2011 elections. Defendants include former deputy mayor Alfonso Grau, María del Carmen García-Fuster, José Eduardo Santon, and José Salinas, among others. In April, trials for Enguera and Requena may proceed over alleged fraudulent recruitment by Servimun and Técnicas Legales Administrativas. The process was delayed due to the inclusion of computer transcripts. In 2024, Máximo Caturla, a former vice president of the Valencia Provincial Council, is also expected to be tried for asset concealment, facing potential prison time.