MADRID, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has been formally placed under investigation by Spain's National Court over alleged money laundering linked to the so-called Plus Ultra case, Spanish media reported Tuesday.
National Court's Central Investigative Court No. 4 is leading the probe, which centers on whether a 53-million-euro (approximately 61 million U.S. dollars) state bailout granted to airline Plus Ultra during the COVID-19 pandemic was used for illicit financial operations.
Zapatero has been summoned to testify on June 2 as a suspect on charges including money laundering, criminal organization, influence peddling and document falsification.
Investigators are examining more than 400,000 euros allegedly paid to Zapatero over several years through consultancy arrangements connected to the case. Some reports also point to payments linked to his family members.
Spain's Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit on Tuesday carried out searches at an office linked to Zapatero and at several companies connected to the investigation.
Zapatero denied all wrongdoing, saying that all income he received was legal, properly invoiced, and declared to the tax authorities. He also denied having intervened in the government's decision to rescue the airline.
The Plus Ultra bailout, approved by the Spanish government in 2021, has long faced scrutiny due to the airline's limited market share and other issues. ■