José Luis Ábalos was Pedro Sánchez's trusted right-hand man, the kind of political confidant you'd expect to find loyally at the prime minister's side at every major moment. He was found at the Madrid courthouse instead, attending his own sentencing via video-conference from the prison cell where he'd been held in preventive custody since November. In June 2026, a seven-judge panel convicted Ábalos of being part of a criminal organisation, bribery, misuse of public funds, money laundering and influence peddling, sentencing him to 24 years. His aide, Koldo García, received 19 years. The case, which became known as the 'Koldo Affair,' was described as particularly damaging for Prime Minister Sánchez given how central Ábalos had been to his government. The court heard evidence from public officials, civil servants, expert witnesses and police before delivering its verdict. One imagines Sánchez's definition of 'trusted right-hand man' may require some revision going forward.