The Supreme Court lifts precautionary measures against Víctor de Aldama in the 'mask case'

The Supreme Court has agreed to lift the precautionary measures that weighed on Víctor de Aldama within the framework of the 'mask case'. The Criminal Chamber considers that it is no longer necessary to maintain the restrictions that were imposed on him during the investigation of the case and orders the extinction of the withdrawal of his passport, the prohibition from leaving national territory, and the obligation to appear every fifteen days before the court.

The decision is contained in a ruling issued by the magistrates of the high court, in which they specify that, although some procedural issues related to the case are still pending, such as the nullity incidents promoted by José Luis Ábalos and Koldo García, this does not prevent the lifting of the precautionary measures agreed against the businessman.

Restrictions continue due to the 'hydrocarbons case'

The lifting of these measures does not mean, however, that Aldama regains full freedom of movement. The restrictions imposed by the judge of the National Court Santiago Pedraz within the investigation of the so-called 'hydrocarbons case' remain in force for the businessman, which oblige him to appear weekly before the judicial authority and prevent him from leaving Spain without authorization.

In the sentence of the 'mask case', the Supreme Court condemned Aldama to four years in prison for the crimes of criminal organization and bribery. However, the Chamber applied the very qualified mitigating circumstance of collaboration and agreed to suspend the execution of the sentence, valuing the "contribution made to the discovery of the crimes", as stated in the resolution. The same sentence also imposed prison sentences on former Minister of Transport José Luis Ábalos, sentenced to 24 years and three months, and his former advisor Koldo García, sentenced to 19 years and eight months, for criminal organization, bribery, influence peddling, and embezzlement.