Begoña Gómez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, will stand trial before a citizen jury on charges of alleged influence peddling and embezzlement after a Madrid court upheld the core of the case against her, while dismissing two other accusations and lifting restrictions on her movements.
Thursday’s ruling marks the most significant legal challenge yet involving the prime minister’s family and comes as Sánchez’s PSOE-led government continues to battle a series of corruption investigations and political scandals affecting relatives, former party figures and close associates.
Gómez had appealed against an earlier ruling by investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado, seeking to have all charges against her dismissed. Her legal team also challenged measures imposed last month that prevented her from leaving Spain, required her to surrender her passport and obliged her to report regularly to the court. ALSO READ: Spanish court lets PM’s wife attend daughter’s graduation in London but bars NATO summit trip.
The Madrid provincial court rejected that appeal in part, confirming that Gómez will face trial on charges of influence peddling and embezzlement. However, it threw out separate accusations of corruption in business dealings and misappropriation of funds, while also lifting the travel restrictions imposed by the lower court. The ruling cannot be appealed. ALSO READ: Judge probing Spanish PM’s wife faces disciplinary action over comments on police.
The case stems from an investigation opened by Judge Peinado in April 2024 into whether Gómez used her position as the prime minister’s wife to obtain private advantages. Both Gómez and Sánchez have consistently denied any wrongdoing. ALSO READ: Pedro Sánchez: ‘There are judges doing politics and politicians trying to do justice’.
The investigation focuses on the creation and management of a university chair at Madrid’s Complutense University that Gómez co-directed, as well as allegations that public resources and political connections were used to advance private interests.
Judge Peinado concluded his investigation in April, initially charging Gómez with influence peddling, embezzlement, corruption in business dealings and misappropriation of funds before ordering that she stand trial before a jury. ALSO READ: Spanish PM’s wife ordered to stand trial on corruption charges and surrender passport.
State prosecutors had also argued that the charges should be dropped, maintaining there was insufficient basis for the case, which originated from a complaint lodged by an anti-corruption organisation with links to the far right. The complaint accused Gómez of exploiting her status as the prime minister’s spouse to secure contracts and other advantages. ALSO READ: Spain’s public prosecutor’s office urges dismissal of case against PM’s wife.
Sánchez has repeatedly insisted the proceedings are politically motivated and designed to damage both his family and his government. He briefly considered resigning in April 2024 after the investigation was first launched but ultimately decided to remain in office. ALSO READ: Pedro Sánchez announces his decision to continue as Spanish prime minister.
‘Begoña Gomez is innocent,’ Sánchez’s office said in a statement following Thursday’s ruling.
‘Anyone familiar with the investigation knows that this is a politically motivated case, stemming from a false allegation made by a far-right organisation, based on fake news, and whose sole motivation is to harass and persecute the prime minister’s wife.’
The case represents another setback for Sánchez, whose administration has faced mounting political pressure from a succession of corruption investigations involving people close to him.
Earlier this week, the prime minister’s brother, David Sánchez, was convicted of administrative misconduct and barred from holding public office for nine years after a court ruled that a local government position had been improperly created for him. ALSO READ: Spanish PM’s brother banned from public office for 9 years after court rules job was created for him.
Separate investigations have also drawn in former senior PSOE figures and Sánchez’s political mentor, former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
Spain’s main opposition parties argue the growing number of cases demonstrates a broader pattern of misconduct within the governing socialist party.
‘This is an unprecedented situation in Spanish democracy and inconceivable in any European democracy,’ the right-wing People’s Party (PP) said.
Sánchez has rejected accusations of systemic corruption, insisting his government has acted properly and will remain in office until the next scheduled general election in 2027. ALSO READ: Poll finds most Spaniards believe ‘lawfare’ exists amid deepening trust crisis in justice.
Under Spanish law, Gómez will be tried before a citizen jury, a procedure reserved for a limited number of criminal offences, including influence peddling. According to data from Spain’s judicial governing body, the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), juries convict defendants in the overwhelming majority of cases, with conviction rates remaining close to 90% over the past decade and standing at approximately 89.5% in 2024.
If convicted, influence peddling by a private individual carries a prison sentence of between six months and two years under Spain’s Criminal Code, while aggravated embezzlement offences can carry prison terms of up to eight years.
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Finalmente Begoña Gómez irá a juicio con jurado popular. La Audiencia Provincial ratifica parcialmente la decisión del juez Peinado pero le quita dos de los cuatro delitos por los que estaba procesada y le levanta las medidas cautelares.
— Telediarios de TVE (@telediario_tve) July 16, 2026
🎙️@DanielLuisMar10 pic.twitter.com/bIfBJja7rX
Begoña Gómez es inocente.
— PSOE (@PSOE) July 16, 2026
Es una causa política basada en noticias falsas para acosar y perseguir a la mujer del Presidente del Gobierno.
Acoso y obsesión.
Esta instrucción es una barbaridad desde el inicio porque está basada en recortes de periódicos, noticias falsas y en una denuncia de una organización ultraderechista.
— PSOE (@PSOE) July 16, 2026
Begoña es inocente y, si se encuentra en esta situación, es por ser la mujer del presidente del Gobierno.… pic.twitter.com/XBA5aEKyXb
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