MADRID – Begoña Gómez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, faces serious allegations of embezzlement tied to the employment of her university advisor, who is also under investigation, reports 24brussels.
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado is examining Gómez for potential influence peddling, business corruption, trademark misappropriation, and intrusion during her tenure as co-director of two master’s programs and a special chair at Madrid’s Complutense University.
The inquiry arises as the Sánchez administration, including Sánchez and his aides, is beset by a series of corruption allegations. Recent reports indicate that Gómez’s advisor, Álvarez, utilized part of her publicly funded position to assist Gómez with university-related tasks and activities involving private companies. The Provincial Court of Madrid’s ruling asserts that the investigation seeks clarity on whether Álvarez exceeded her authority by misusing public resources for private or personal gains.
Álvarez was appointed in 2018 while Félix Bolaños was Secretary General of the Presidency, the office responsible for her hiring. In June, a request to charge Bolaños with embezzlement and perjury was filed by the judge but subsequently dismissed by the Supreme Court.
This case has ignited significant political turmoil in Madrid. Digital Transformation Minister Óscar López expressed his outrage during an interview with public broadcaster RNE, branding the investigations into Sánchez’s wife as “prospective.”
“Justice must be equal for all, and when it ceases to be fair, it is not justice,” he stated, cautioning against probes motivated by personal identity.
In contrast, the opposition centre-right People’s Party has called for respect for the judicial process. “We understand that Judge Peinado knows why he is charging them with embezzlement, and that he is not doing so just for the sake of it,” spokesperson Ester Muñoz commented during a segment on Antena 3.
Gómez and Álvarez are expected to testify in September.
