José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who served as Spain's prime minister from 2004 to 2011, has been formally named as a suspect by the Audiencia Nacional (Spain's federal-level high court) on charges of influence trafficking and money laundering, becoming the first Spanish premier to face formal judicial investigation since the country's transition to democracy. Investigators allege he led a network that pressured public officials on behalf of third parties — most notably airline Plus Ultra, which received €53 million in state pandemic aid in 2021 — with payments channelled through shell companies and fictitious documents, with funds allegedly reaching Zapatero and a firm linked to his daughters. Zapatero, a key ally of current Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, denied any wrongdoing, while the case adds further pressure to a Socialist-led government already beset by separate corruption inquiries involving Sánchez's inner circle, wife, and brother; Zapatero has been summoned to testify on 2 June.