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A Madrid judge on Wednesday ordered Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's wife to stand trial for alleged embezzlement, marking a significant escalation in a corruption investigation that has plagued the Socialist leader's administration for months.
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado ruled that Begona Gomez must appear in court Saturday after his preliminary investigation found sufficient evidence to warrant a jury trial. The charges center on whether a government official allegedly performed work for Gomez while she held a position at Madrid's Complutense University.
The probe examines Cristina Álvarez, an employee in the prime minister's office, and whether she improperly conducted business for Gomez while on the government payroll. Peinado cited emails sent by Álvarez to third parties that "clearly seem to exceed her duties" in the prime minister's office.
According to the judge's Tuesday ruling, Gomez's "personal friendship" with Álvarez was "the reason for her appointment to the position of highest trust" in Sanchez's office. This arrangement "could represent a diversion of public resources in favour of private interests," Peinado wrote.
Gomez maintains her innocence and can appeal the decision, which is not yet final. She denied wrongdoing during a court appearance before Peinado two weeks ago.
The case represents one of several investigations targeting Sanchez's inner circle that have intensified political pressure on his minority coalition government. Separate corruption probes have ensnared two former Socialist heavyweights, Santos Cerdán and ex-transport minister José Luis Abalos, as well as the prime minister's younger brother David Sanchez.
Speaking Wednesday at a news conference in New York during his attendance at the UN General Assembly, Sanchez dismissed the allegations as politically motivated attacks from the right wing, which has demanded his resignation.
"The truth will ultimately prevail. And the truth is that my brother and my wife are innocent," Sanchez said.
The prime minister has previously criticized what he calls judicial overreach, saying earlier this month there were "judges who do politics and politicians who try to do justice" while denouncing complaints filed by groups with far-right ties.
The legal troubles compound challenges for Sanchez's minority government, which relies on complex negotiations with an array of fringe and regional separatist parties to pass legislation. The investigation into Gomez began in April 2024 following complaints from far-right affiliated groups alleging she exploited her position as the prime minister's wife for private benefit.
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