A Spanish judge has formally charged Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, with embezzlement of public funds, further intensifying the prime minister’s ongoing conflict with the judiciary.
The High Court of Madrid confirmed that Gómez has been summoned to appear in court on September 11. She is accused of using state funds to pay her assistant, Cristina Álvarez, for personal tasks. Judge Juan Carlos Peinado had previously charged Gómez with influence peddling and corruption.
This development is another setback for Sánchez, whose government has faced corruption allegations involving family members and close aides over the past year.
Government allies defended the prime minister, with Digital Transformation Minister Óscar López expressing outrage over the charges and questioning their legitimacy. Sánchez himself has claimed that his family has been the target of a right-wing campaign of “harassment and bullying.”
The accusations extend beyond Gómez. Sánchez’s brother David is also under investigation, while three senior figures from the prime minister’s inner circle — Santos Cerdán, José Luís Ábalos, and Koldo García — have been implicated in alleged bribery and corruption schemes tied to government contracts.
Meanwhile, Attorney-General Álvaro García Ortiz, appointed by Sánchez in 2022, faces trial for allegedly leaking information about a political rival’s partner. All accused parties deny wrongdoing.
Opposition figures have seized on the controversy. Sergio Sayas of the People’s Party commented on social media that Spain “does not deserve a prime minister whose only uncharged associate is his pet,” calling for Sánchez to resign.
The case originated in April last year, following a complaint from Manos Limpias, a group with far-right affiliations known for politically motivated lawsuits. The complaint alleged that Gómez benefited from business favours linked to government contracts while serving as a director at IE University in Madrid.
Although Judge Peinado sought to extend the probe to Justice Minister Félix Bolaños over his role in hiring Gómez’s aide, the Supreme Court dismissed the request earlier this summer.
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