Related videos:
The safe found in the office of former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero contained nearly eighty pieces of jewelry with a total value of 1,323,915 euros, according to the appraisal commissioned by the judge of the Audiencia Nacional José Luis Calama from the historic jewelry store Ansorena, conducted on the eighth and ninth of June in collaboration with the Spanish Gemological Institute.
The recording of Zapatero's office, located on Ferraz Street in Madrid, took place on May 19 as part of the so-called Plus Ultra case, when agents from the Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (UDEF) of the National Police opened the safe in his office and photographed its contents.
The most valuable piece is an 18-karat white gold necklace, featuring two natural emeralds from Zambia and diamonds, appraised at 278,000 euros.
It is followed by a white gold necklace featuring thirteen original sapphires from Thailand and diamonds, which, according to the Ansorena report, "form a delicate openwork floral design," valued at 220,000 euros.
A third diamond necklace with five cascading rubies was valued at 155,000 euros, while a white gold bracelet featuring three emeralds and diamonds reaches 95,000 euros, and a cocktail ring with a central Zambian emerald and diamonds amounts to 85,000 euros.
Long earrings made of gold and emeralds, another pair of sapphires and diamonds, and a third set with rubies complete the group of the most valuable pieces, with appraisals of 80,000, 70,000, and 60,000 euros, respectively.
Among the lower value items are a green aventurine necklace valued at 4,000 euros, a silver cross of the Sagrada Familia appraised at 50 euros, and imitation pearls with no commercial value.
The collection also includes watches from brands like Omega, Longines, and Pierre Balmain, with values ranging from 50 to 6,000 euros.
The Spanish Gemological Institute confirmed in its report that several pieces contained "rubies," "sapphire compatible with deposits from Thailand," and "emerald with origin compatible with deposits from Zambia."
The discovery prompted Judge Calama to expand his investigation and open a separate case to investigate Zapatero for possible tax and smuggling offenses, as the value of the jewelry significantly exceeds the threshold of 120,000 euros, above which tax crime can be activated in Spain.
The spokesperson for the former president, Luis Arroyo —president of the Ateneo de Madrid— explained that the jewels are inheritances from Zapatero's mother and mother-in-law, as well as gifts, and that they were kept in the office "because they lived in a rental house that did not have a safe."
Arroyo later had to apologize for initially estimating the pieces to be worth between 30,000 and 50,000 euros, a figure significantly lower than the judicial appraisal.
The Plus Ultra case, under which the search was conducted, investigates the alleged irregular bailout of 53 million euros granted in 2021 by the State Society of Industrial Participations (SEPI) to the airline Plus Ultra, which has a strong Venezuelan shareholder presence.
The judge places Zapatero at the "center" of an alleged influence scheme in favor of the airline, supposedly in exchange for economic benefits funneled to him and his circle.
On May 19, the National Court charged Zapatero with organized crime, influence peddling, and document falsification, making him the first former president of democratic Spain to be charged with corruption.
Zapatero will appear before the National Court on June 17 and 18 to testify about the jewels and the other charges against him.
Filed under: