Just seven months later, on 26 January 2016, a major police operation in Valencia would result in the arrest of several high-ranking members from the Valencian PP regional and local branches, as a consequence of the ongoing investigation on the PP's corruption in the region during its time in government. Several days later, on 1 February, all ten PP city councillors in the city council of Valencia, including Novo himself, would be charged for a money laundering offence, related to the party's illegal financing in the Valencian Community. Judicial investigation pointed to former Mayor Rita Barberá also being involved in the scandal—that also covered the possible illegal funding of her 2015 election run—with her arrest or imputation only being prevented by the fact she had legal protection as an incumbent senator.
