UCO Investigation into Alberto González Amador: Financial Irregularities and Corporate Shells

The Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Spanish Civil Guard has concluded, in a provisional report, that a company acquired by Alberto González Amador, the partner of Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, lacked the necessary operational capacity to provide the consultancy services it billed to Quirón Prevención. According to the UCO investigation, the firm, renamed Masterman & Whitaker, had no employees and possessed only minimal assets, such as three hair removal devices and a laptop, despite invoicing significant sums to a major healthcare provider that receives substantial public funding from the Community of Madrid.

The Corporate Structure of Masterman & Whitaker

Investigators allege that González Amador purchased the company, formerly known as Círculo de Belleza, from Gloria Carrasco, the wife of Fernando Camino, a high-ranking executive at Quirón Prevención. The UCO report, dated December 19, 2023, notes that the company’s assets were fully amortized and unrelated to professional consultancy. Financial records indicate that shares in Círculo de Belleza were sold by Camino’s wife and brother-in-law for nominal amounts shortly before González Amador acquired the firm for half a million euros. The UCO describes the disparity between these purchase prices as highly significant, suggesting the transaction served as a vehicle to conceal the origin of funds.

Allegations of Corruption and Money Laundering

The judicial proceedings, overseen by the Court of Instruction Number 19 of Madrid, are examining potential crimes of business corruption and unfair administration. Investigators are testing the hypothesis that the half-million-euro payment was a bribe intended to mask a kickback linked to a 42-million-euro mask procurement contract during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Fernando Camino, while serving as a director for the Galician company Mape, allegedly maneuvered to facilitate the purchase of medical supplies from a Catalan firm that had previously agreed to pay a commission to González Amador. The total commission from this operation reached approximately two million euros.

Judicial Oversight and Access to Evidence

The investigation has faced delays regarding the scope of evidence accessible to the Civil Guard. While Judge Antonio Viejo authorized the UCO to access the bank accounts of González Amador and Gloria Carrasco in June 2024, he initially restricted access to broader corporate and tax documentation. The UCO has repeatedly argued that this financial data is essential to determine if the proceeds from the alleged mask-related commission were laundered through the acquisition of shell companies. As of mid-2024, only González Amador and Carrasco have testified as subjects of the investigation, with proceedings against other key figures expected to continue over the coming months.

Key Details of the Investigation

• Primary Allegation: The use of an inactive shell company to invoice consultancy services for a major healthcare contractor.
• The “Bribe” Hypothesis: Prosecutors suspect the 500,000-euro company purchase was a disguised kickback for a multi-million-euro medical supply contract.
• Asset Discrepancy: The company purchased by González Amador had no employees and assets limited to basic beauty equipment, yet it billed substantial fees to Quirón Prevención.
• Legal Status: The case is currently being handled by the Juzgado de Instrucción número 19 of Madrid, with the UCO acting as the lead investigative body.

This investigation remains separate from the ongoing tax fraud proceedings against González Amador, which are currently awaiting trial. The accumulation of four volumes of evidence suggests a complex financial trail that continues to be scrutinized by both the judiciary and the Civil Guard to establish whether public funds were diverted through private business arrangements.