Pedro Sánchez's wife sent to trial for influence peddling and misappropriation of funds
Begoña Gómez is to be tried for influence peddling and misappropriation of funds, following a decision by judge Juan Carlos Peinado. The Spanish prosecutor seeks acquittal; a civil rights organisation requests 13 years imprisonment.
Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish Prime Minister, sent to trial
Begoña Gómez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, is to be tried for influence peddling and misappropriation of public funds, according to Digi24, which cites Politico and sources from Spanish media. Investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado ordered on Monday the committal to trial of both Gómez and Cristina Álvarez, her assistant at La Moncloa — the official residence of the Prime Minister — after the Provincial Court in Madrid opened this avenue in July.
The two cases: the employee and sponsorships
The case is structured around two separate files, both related to Gómez's activity at Complutense University in Madrid.
The first concerns a civil servant officially employed at the Prime Minister's office, who is alleged to have actually worked for Gómez during the period when she was leading a master's degree programme at that university. The accusation is misappropriation of public funds: the employee in question is alleged to have dealt with private activities of the Prime Minister's wife, despite being paid from the budget of the government institution.
The second file concerns influence peddling: Gómez is suspected of having used her status as the head of government's wife to attract sponsorship for the master's degree programme she coordinated. Gómez headed that programme until the beginning of the 2024 academic year.
Judge Peinado had initially ordered four charges — influence peddling, misappropriation of funds, improper appropriation and business corruption — however, following an appeal filed by the defence, only the first two were retained.
Investigation opened following a union complaint
The committal to trial ends an investigation launched almost two and a half years ago, following a complaint filed by the "Manos Limpias" union, based on media reports. The judge did not order any preventive measure against Gómez.
The case will now be transmitted to a superior court, which will proceed to set the date of the hearing.
Divergent positions: acquittal or 13 years imprisonment
The Spanish prosecutor considers that the evidence does not demonstrate the commission of any offence and requests acquittal. The defence teams hold a similar position. By contrast, Hazte Oír, an ultra-Catholic organisation acting as a civil party, requests 13 years imprisonment for Gómez.
Her lawyer, Jaime Campaner, contended that the indictment filed by Hazte Oír contains "serious technical deficiencies", incompatible with the law and "irreparable" at this procedural stage, and requested dismissal of the case.
Gómez denies any illegal conduct. Together with her husband, she has denounced what she considers to be a smear campaign orchestrated by the far right and right-wing opposition.
Context: a year of scandals for Sánchez
Government sources have described the committal to trial as "arbitrary and unjust", contending that the real reason is simply Gómez's status as the Prime Minister's wife.
The trial comes in a year marked by several investigations involving the socialist leader's inner circle. Former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was recently questioned in connection with financial assistance of €53 million awarded in the context of the pandemic. Influential socialist figure Santos Cerdán is the subject of an investigation into bribery in the context of public contracts, an investigation in which former minister José Luis Ábalos is also implicated. Both deny any illegal conduct. Opposition parties are calling for Sánchez to resign.
Source: Digi24