Montoro affair

Cristóbal Montoro in 2012

The Montoro affair (Spanish: caso Montoro) is a political corruption case in Spain, involving an alleged cash-for-favours, lobbying and influence peddling network operated by former Finance minister of Spain, Cristóbal Montoro, while at the helm of that ministry during the premiership of Mariano Rajoy.[1][2][3] Investigations were ongoing since August 2018 but were not unveiled until July 2025.[4] In March 2026, the judicial probe expanded into Montoro's "complete" banking information.[5]

The ongoing judicial investigation focuses on the alleged favoritism shown to companies (gas, renewables, or gambling) by creating tax regulations and reforms in exchange for direct payments to the law firm Equipo Económico (English: "Economic Team"), founded by Montoro in 2006.[6][7] This firm is considered the "epicenter of an alleged corruption scheme accused of benefiting companies in exchange for money".[8][9] Among other cases, this firm allegedly received "almost one million euros so that the Ministry of Finance under Montoro would approve two tailor-made tax reforms", according to an investigation by the Spanish Tax Agency in February 2026.[10][11][12] The legislative changes were allegedly approved against the advice of the experts.[13]

The companies that paid this law firm allegedly benefited from both the legal reforms promoted by the former People's Party minister and from privileged information on the General State Budget before the Spanish parliament itself.[14][15][16] According to the judicial investigation, Montoro's tax scheme would have obtained a total of nearly 50 million euros in kickbacks.[17] Furthermore, the companies involved would have allegedly enjoyed a tax benefit of 2.2 billion euros in 2012.[18]

References

  1. ↑ Burgen, Stephen (18 July 2025). "Spain's People's party hit by alleged multimillion cash-for-favours scandal". The Guardian. Barcelona. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  2. ↑ López-Fonseca, Óscar (20 July 2025). "Anatomía de un amaño del 'caso Montoro': 31 documentos detallan mensajes, reuniones y pagos para forzar la reforma legal". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  3. ↑ Amsterdam, Robert (8 August 2025). "Democracy is under threat in Spain". City AM. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  4. ↑ Araque Conde, Pilar (1 August 2026). "El 'caso Montoro' se eterniza tras ocho años de instrucción y sin que el exministro haya declarado todavía". Público (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
  5. ↑ Martínez Posada, Rocío; López-Fonseca, Óscar (30 March 2026). "El juez del 'caso Montoro' alerta sobre los pagos a exsocios y familiares y profundiza la investigación financiera". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 August 2026.
  6. ↑ Jorrín, Javier; Fernández, Antonio (16 July 2025). "Un juez imputa a Montoro y a todo su equipo por cambiar leyes a cambio de pagos". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  7. ↑ Fernández-Pontes, Inés (29 July 2025). "Former Spanish finance minister caught up in gas lobbying corruption probe" (in Spanish). Euractiv. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "El despacho que fundó Montoro pide que se anulen los correos en los que se basa la causa". elDiario.es (in Spanish). Barcelona. EFE. 20 July 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  9. ↑ Lillo, Javier (27 July 2026). "El juez del caso Montoro apremia a los Mossos para que le informen del avance de su investigación". elDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Hacienda sospecha que el antiguo despacho de Montoro troceó los pagos de las gasistas para no ser detectado" (in Spanish). RTVE. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  11. ↑ Araque Conde, Pilar (13 February 2026). "Hacienda destapa la operativa del despacho de Montoro: camuflaba como "primas de éxito" los pagos de las gasistas beneficiadas por las reformas". Público (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Rodríguez Palop, María Eugenia (14 February 2026). "'Caso Montoro': cuando el que legisla es el que paga, no el que vota". Público (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  13. ↑ García Bueno, Jesús (27 July 2026). "Hacienda concluye que Montoro impulsó la rebaja fiscal a las gasistas "contra el criterio de los técnicos"". El País (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Arias, Clara (21 July 2025). "Las seis claves del auto judicial para entender la trama Montoro: de leyes a medida a acceso a información fiscal confidencial". Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  15. ↑ Jiménez Gálvez, José (18 July 2025). "Los correos del 'caso Montoro' desvelan una "estrategia de presión" sobre Hacienda para participar "en la redacción del BOE"". El País (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  16. ↑ Pinheiro, Marcos (18 July 2025). "La UCO detectó que las empresas conocían los presupuestos de Rajoy antes que el Congreso y señala a Montoro". elDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  17. ↑ Campos, Miguel Ángel; Lerma, Guillermo; Jiménez García, Pedro; Coello, Josué (21 July 2025). "La investigación apunta a que la trama de Hacienda de Montoro consiguió comisiones cercanas a los 50 millones de euros" (in Spanish). Cadena SER. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  18. ↑ Pozas, Alberto (21 July 2025). "Los Mossos vinculan los pagos de las renovables a Equipo Económico con el beneficio fiscal de 2.200 millones en 2012". elDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2026.
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