The chairman of Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas, Julio Miguel Martínez Sola, along with the company’s chief executive officer (CEO), Roberto Roselli Miele, were taken into custody on Thursday during an operation spearheaded by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and executed by the National Police’s UDEF unit. The operation involved a search of the airline’s headquarters, where documents and digital storage devices were confiscated, as reported by legal sources referenced by multiple media outlets.
The inquiry, currently under secrecy of proceedings (sealed), is overseen by Madrid’s Court of Investigation No. 15 and centers on suspected money laundering. Prosecutors contend that public funds from the 2021 bailout provided to the airline—€53 million in total—might have been misappropriated.
Released under precautionary measures after appearing before the court
After being detained, the executives were brought this Saturday to the courts in Madrid, where they appeared before the duty court (Investigating Court No. 13). The judge mandated their release with precautionary measures: surrendering their passports, a prohibition on leaving Spain, and regular court check-ins. Based on the published information, the suspects exercised their right to remain silent, a typical choice in proceedings that have been declared confidential.
Which offences are being investigated, and why the public bailout is involved
According to Cadena SER, the individuals in custody are tentatively accused of crimes like money laundering, misappropriation, and criminal organization. However, the ultimate legal categorization will hinge on how the investigation unfolds and what becomes evident once the confidentiality order is revoked.
The essence of the case—based on initial indications and as per the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s report—might involve the supposed redirection of illicit funds originating in Venezuela via European frameworks, potentially linked in time to fund movements post-bailout. According to the Prosecutor’s account, potential origins of these illicit funds could involve payments associated with Venezuelan public initiatives (like CLAP) and dealings concerning gold.
Cadena SER adds a relevant procedural point: Anti-Corruption prosecutors reportedly attempted to take the case initially to the National Court (Audiencia Nacional), which declined jurisdiction, and the complaint subsequently ended up before Investigating Court No. 15. It is also noted that a previous investigation into the bailout was shelved, and that this new line of inquiry has been opened as a separate case file, something the defence teams are already challenging.
Who are Julio Miguel Martínez Sola and Roberto Roselli Miele?
In public corporate registry records, the name Julio Miguel Martínez Sola is associated with Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas, S.A. Meanwhile, Roberto Roselli Miele is listed by his full name in the airline’s corporate documents, including the 2024 notice calling for the General Shareholders’ Meeting, which specifically mentions the “Appointment of the Board Member, Mr. Roberto Roselli Miele.”
With the suspects released under precautionary measures, the case enters a more technical phase: analysis of the seized material, tracing transactions and the flow of funds, and potentially further summonses or an expansion of charges if evidence is consolidated. As long as the proceedings remain sealed, evidentiary details will largely be limited to what emerges from judicial sources and to the court decisions that become public.