The trial of Rodrigo Rato, who is accused of 11 tax crimes, money laundering, and corruption between individuals, has come to an end. After 56 sessions, the court president informed all parties that they must now wait for the sentencing. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office has requested a sentence of 63 years in prison for Rato. However, the outcome of the trial remains uncertain as many questions linger about Rato’s future.
Rato was released from prison in October 2020 after serving two years of a four and a half year sentence for a previous case. The possibility of returning to prison looms over him especially with the recent trial and potential sentencing. The Anti-Corruption petition for 63 years in prison is a serious threat but Rato could still appeal the sentence and avoid immediate imprisonment if he takes his case to the Supreme Court.
The validity of the evidence presented in the trial, expert reports, and origin of suspected assets will play a crucial role in determining Rato’s fate. During the trial there were challenges to legality of evidence collected during investigation including searches without proper authorization which was postponed for evaluation at sentencing phase. Expert reports presented in the trial will also be scrutinized as they often influence outcomes of cases involving tax crimes. The origins of Rato’s suspected assets including inheritance, bank accounts and consulting work remain under question with former politician claiming it is clean money.
Magistrates will also have to consider whether others were involved in concealing Rato’s fortune and corrupt practices such as Domingo Plazas, Teresa Arellano and José Manuel Fernández Norniella whose roles are expected to be examined during sentencing process. Ultimately, many factors are at play in determining what happens next for Rodrigo Rato and his future hangs on these outcomes.
