Spain AVE corruption case arrests

Spain’s Guardia Civil has arrested nine people for alleged irregularities in the construction of the high-speed AVE train linking Madrid and Barcelona that led to improper billing of some 6 million Euros.

Reportedly, the suspects are from Adif, the agency that manages infrastructure projects in Spain, and executives of a construction company who allegedly wrongfully made profits on the AVE project.

Investigators are looking into whether executives of contractor Corsan worked with certain Adif officials and third parties to benefit at the expense of the Spanish government.

 Officials have said that prosecutors suspect that documents were altered to make it look like the contractor had done more work on the project than they had done in reality.  

The authorities are also examining the possibility that the contract itself was done under irregular conditions, according to the prosecutor’s office for corruption cases.

Police have conducted searches in both Barcelona and Madrid, in which they have targeted residences, Corsan offices and the offices of the project’s technical consulting firm.

Spain’s Development Minister, Ana Pastor, whose Cabinet department oversees Adif, has given full assurance that her office would work with judicial officials to provide all the information necessary for the case.