Case records of Plus Ultra conclude after Zapatero indictment

Published on May 24, 2026 | Translated from Spanish

The Police have concluded the searches ordered by the judge in the Plus Ultra case, following the indictment of former President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. The investigation seeks to clarify possible irregularities in the management of the airline, focusing on the €53 million bailout. Authorities have collected documentation from several locations, marking a key step in the judicial process as the judge's next decisions are awaited.

Investigators reviewing financial documents on a dark wooden table, official seals and labeled folders, an open laptop displaying cash flow charts, an agent holding a manila envelope while another examines a contract with a magnifying glass, cold government office light, metal shelves with archive boxes in the background, photorealistic cinematic style, sharp focus on hands manipulating papers, judicial investigation atmosphere, blue and gray tones, dramatic lighting from a side window.

The encryption system used in the case evidence 🔐

The seized documentation includes digital files protected with AES-256 encryption, a standard used by government agencies to secure sensitive data. Investigators used forensic tools such as EnCase and FTK to extract metadata from servers and hard drives, verifying timestamps and hash chains. This technical process allows tracking modifications to documents, ensuring the chain of custody. The Police also analyzed access logs to corporate databases to identify communication patterns between executives and public officials.

Plus Ultra and the art of making public money fly ✈️

While experts review papers, one wonders if anyone thought bailing out an airline with €53 million was like pouring gasoline on a fire: it burns fast and leaves ashes. Investigators are looking for evidence that the bailout was not a simple oversight, but a direct flight to the bank account of a few. After all, we already know that in Spain even planes have the right to a bailout, even if they later land in a courtroom.