Spain’s Supreme Court has found Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz guilty of unlawfully disclosing confidential information about Alberto González Amador, the partner of Madrid’s regional leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso, one of the most prominent figures in the conservative opposition. In a decision issued on 20 November 2025, the country’s highest court ruled that the attorney general violated secrecy rules while González Amador was under investigation for alleged tax fraud.
The seven-judge panel reached a 5–2 majority in favor of conviction. As part of the sentence, the court disqualified García Ortiz from serving as Spain’s attorney general for two years, imposed fines totaling €7,200, and ordered him to pay €10,000 in damages to González Amador, as well as covering court costs. It is the first time a sitting attorney general has faced a criminal trial and been found guilty, giving the ruling exceptional institutional significance.
The verdict is a setback for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whose Socialist-led government appointed García Ortiz in 2022 and publicly backed him throughout the investigation and the recent trial. Spain’s government said it “respects the decision but does not share it,” while acknowledging that the ruling is final at the Supreme Court level.
How The Confidentiality Breach Occurred
The case stems from the handling of a tax fraud inquiry into businessman Alberto González Amador, who is accused of using companies and false invoices to reduce his tax bill in 2019 and 2020. While that probe remains open and no tax fraud trial has yet taken place, the Supreme Court focused strictly on how sensitive information from the investigation reached the media.
According to the court’s summary, García Ortiz circulated an email exchange to journalists and issued an official press release that contained personal and procedural details about González Amador at a stage when the businessman was still a suspect and enjoyed full procedural protections. Judges concluded that this disclosure breached legal duties to safeguard confidential data linked to an ongoing criminal inquiry and exceeded what was necessary for public communication by the prosecution service.
During the hearings earlier this month, García Ortiz denied wrongdoing and argued that his actions were aimed at correcting what he considered inaccurate or incomplete public claims about the case. He insisted that he acted in the public interest and within his institutional remit. The Supreme Court majority, however, rejected that defense, finding that the nature and timing of the information released could not be justified as ordinary transparency by a top prosecutor.
Political Fallout And Debate Over Institutions
The conviction quickly reverberated through Spain’s political landscape. Opposition parties, led by the conservative People’s Party (PP), described the ruling as proof that Sánchez had placed a loyalist at the head of the prosecution service and then attempted to shield him from accountability. Several PP leaders said the case showed the need for a clearer separation between the government and the office of the attorney general.
For the Socialist-led administration, the decision adds to controversies involving figures close to Sánchez, including disputes over judicial reforms and criticism of an amnesty law for Catalan separatists that was negotiated to secure parliamentary support. The spectacle of a sitting attorney general on trial, covered extensively by Spanish broadcasters and newspapers, has intensified debate over the independence and credibility of Spain’s justice system.
Government officials, for their part, underlined that the outcome demonstrates that no office-holder is above the law. They pointed to the Supreme Court’s ability to investigate and convict such a senior figure as evidence that institutional checks and balances continue to function, even in a highly charged political climate.
Next Steps, Appeal Options And Ongoing Cases
Following the verdict, García Ortiz retains the option of appealing to Spain’s Constitutional Court, arguing that his fundamental rights were violated during the proceedings. Any such challenge would focus on constitutional guarantees, such as due process and freedom of expression, rather than reopening the factual findings made by the Supreme Court. His lawyers have indicated that they will study the full written judgment once it is published before deciding on next steps.
Meanwhile, the government must appoint a new attorney general. Officials have said that the process to nominate a successor will begin in the coming days, with candidates expected to be reviewed by the General Council of the Judiciary before formal appointment by the cabinet and the king. Senior members of the prosecution service are expected to ensure continuity in major cases until a permanent replacement takes office.
The tax investigation into González Amador will continue under the supervision of ordinary prosecutors and examining judges. The businessman has denied committing tax fraud, and no date has been set for a possible trial. Regardless of the eventual outcome of that case, the conviction of García Ortiz stands as a rare instance of Spain’s top court sanctioning the country’s chief prosecutor for mishandling sensitive information, a decision that is likely to shape future debates over transparency, political responsibility, and the protection of investigative secrecy.
