A Spanish judge has formally summoned Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, to testify as a suspect of embezzlement of public funds.
Gómez and Cristina Álvarez, a staffer at the prime minister’s office who served as her aide, have been ordered to appear in court in September.
The case centres on claims that state resources were misused in relation to Gómez’s role at Madrid’s Complutense University, where she directed a course despite not holding a degree.
The embezzlement summons adds further pressure on Sánchez, whose government has been repeatedly dogged by corruption scandals. ALSO READ: Pedro Sánchez vows not to quit, and presents 15-point anti-corruption plan.
Since June, the prime minister has been under political siege following the arrest of his closest ally, Santos Cerdán, who remains in custody on suspicion of bribery, conspiracy and influence peddling. ALSO READ: Judge orders pre-trial detention for PSOE’s former organisation secretary.
Scrutiny of Gómez has dominated political and judicial circles for over a year. The proceedings began in April last year with suspicions of influence peddling and business corruption but have since expanded to cover allegations of misappropriation and professional intrusion. ALSO READ: Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish PM, denies wrongdoing in graft investigation hearing.
The latest phase of the inquiry focuses on whether Álvarez was carrying out tasks for Gómez’s university post, effectively diverting public funds to private use.
Judicial sources cited by El País report that in June the Madrid Provincial Court authorised Judge Juan Carlos Peinado to pursue this line of investigation, including whether Álvarez’s public salary and working hours were misapplied for duties outside her official remit.
Pedro Sánchez has consistently defended his wife, insisting she is innocent and condemning what he describes as a campaign by the opposition and ‘lawfare’ aimed at destabilising his government. ALSO READ: ‘Mafia or Democracy’ – tens of thousands join PP’s 6th anti-government rally in Madrid.
This will be the second time Gómez has appeared before Judge Peinado. She testified in July over influence-peddling claims, which she categorically denied. Her legal team maintained her academic activities were above board and that working with private companies aligned with the objectives of her university chair. The fresh summons for September, however, explicitly raises the offence of embezzlement.
Critics accuse Judge Peinado of overreaching, while supporters argue his determination proves that proximity to political power should not shield anyone from accountability.
Last year, Sánchez himself caused turmoil when he abruptly announced that he would take five days away from his duties to consider whether to remain in office, citing ‘attacks’ on his wife by right-wing media. Shortly after returning to work, news broke that Gómez was under formal investigation.
The first accusations against her were filed in April by the anti-corruption group Manos Limpias (‘Clean Hands’), which has ties to Spain’s right.
The September hearing is expected to inflame tensions further, as the Sánchez administration struggles to contain a corruption scandal reaching the highest levels of government.
Cerdán, once the socialist party’s number three, was detained as part of a wider probe into alleged kickbacks on state contracts. The fallout deepened with the release of audio recordings — purportedly featuring two suspects, including a former socialist minister and his aide — in which they spoke about arranging prostitutes. Both men deny any wrongdoing. ALSO READ: Spanish PM apologises, after senior politician resigns due to alleged link to corruption probe.
Sánchez’s push to outlaw prostitution in Spain has been undermined by those recordings, as well as by revived allegations that his father-in-law once operated brothels.
Meanwhile, Sánchez’s brother is also under investigation for corruption and influence peddling, and Spain’s Attorney General faces charges of leaking documents tied to a case involving the partner of a right-wing rival. All of them have rejected the allegations. ALSO READ: Brother of Spanish prime minister to face trial for alleged influence peddling.
ALSO READ: Spain’s Attorney General to face trial in new setback for PM Sánchez.
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