In June 2019, Amaro was named a formal suspect in the Rota Final investigation case, due to his alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme of rigging public contracting procedures while mayor of Guarda. He made a 40,000€ bail deposit and took office as MEP the following month.[3]
Amaro's parliamentary immunity was lifted in February 2021 following an indictment for malfeasance and fraud in obtaining EU funds for the GuardaFoliacarnaval event in 2014.[4] These charges were dropped in July the same year, for lack of concrete evidence.[5]
In April 2023, Álvaro Amaro was charged for malfeasance in public-private partnerships established while mayor of Gouveia, between 2007 and 2011. He was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison (suspended by a fine of 25,000€ within a year) and stepped down as MEP shortly after.[6]