Spanish Judge Orders PM’s Wife to Stand Trial for Corruption
7 verified5 unconfirmed
A Spanish investigative judge has ruled that Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, must face trial on corruption charges. Judge Juan Carlos Peinado issued the order on Saturday, requiring Gómez to surrender her passport and report to court twice a month. The case, which originated from a complaint by the pressure group Manos Limpias, accuses Gómez of using her position to secure government contracts and misusing public funds. She has denied any wrongdoing. The ruling has intensified political tensions, with the opposition calling for Sánchez's government to resign while the Socialist Party describes the case as a politically motivated persecution. A trial date has not yet been set. The investigation is one of several graft cases involving Sánchez's center-left minority government, including separate probes into former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and other senior officials.
What’s verified
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado ordered Begoña Gómez to face trial on corruption charges.
Gómez must surrender her passport, is barred from leaving Spain, and must appear in court every two weeks.
The case stems from a complaint filed by the pressure group Manos Limpias (Clean Hands).
Gómez is accused of using her position as the prime minister's wife to influence government contracts.
Gómez denies all allegations.
No trial date has been set.
The ruling has sparked political confrontation, with opposition parties urging early elections and the Socialist Party calling it a political witch hunt.
Not yet confirmed
Only one source reports that a businessman and a consultant will also stand trial alongside Gómez.
Only one source specifies that Gómez was formally charged in April with embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business dealings, and misappropriation of funds.
The sources provide slightly different descriptions of the investigation's focus: one mentions Gómez's role as a professor at a public university; the other mentions an academic chair she co-directed at Complutense University.
Only one source notes that instructions have been issued to border posts and airports to prevent Gómez from leaving the country.
Only one source reports that Prime Minister Sánchez has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump.
Key figures
Pedro Sánchez – Prime Minister of Spain
Begoña Gómez – wife of Pedro Sánchez, accused of corruption
Juan Carlos Peinado – investigative judge
Miguel Tellado – secretary-general of the opposition People's Party (mentioned in one source)
Manos Limpias – pressure group that filed the complaint
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero – former Spanish Prime Minister, under separate investigation
Sources: abcnews.com, dw.com
