Spain PM’s Wife Begoña Gómez Charged With Embezzlement and Influence Peddling
Begoña Gómez, the wife of Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez, has been formally charged with embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business dealings and misappropriation of funds following a two-year judicial investigation in Madrid.
The case, led by Judge Juan Carlos Peinado, centers on allegations that Gómez used her position as the prime minister’s spouse to obtain and oversee a role at Complutense University of Madrid. Investigators claim she may have leveraged public resources and personal connections to advance private interests. Gómez denies all allegations.
Two additional individuals have also been charged: Gómez’s personal assistant, Cristina Álvarez, and businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés. Both have rejected any wrongdoing.
The investigation began after a complaint was filed by Manos Limpias, a group described as a self-styled trade union with links to the far right. The organization has previously used legal complaints to target figures it considers a threat to Spain’s democratic system.
Sánchez has consistently described the accusations against his wife as unfounded and politically motivated. He has accused political opponents and parts of the media of targeting his family and questioned the neutrality of some members of Spain’s judiciary.
In a 39-page ruling, Judge Peinado argued that certain decisions benefiting the university position may have resulted from Gómez’s personal connections, particularly after Sánchez became leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party and later prime minister. The judge also referenced conduct at the Moncloa palace — the prime minister’s official residence — suggesting it resembled behavior more typical of authoritarian systems.
Speaking during an official visit to China, Sánchez expressed confidence that the legal process would ultimately clear his wife. “What I ask of the justice system is that it delivers justice,” he said, adding that time would “put everything and everyone in their place.”
Judge Peinado, who is due to retire in September, has given the parties five days to respond before the court determines whether the case will proceed to a jury trial.
The charges come amid broader political pressure on Sánchez. His younger brother, David Sánchez, is scheduled to stand trial next month over allegations of influence peddling linked to a public sector job in the city of Badajoz. He also denies wrongdoing.
Separately, two former senior figures in Sánchez’s administration are facing corruption-related charges connected to public contracts for medical equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic. Former transport minister José Luis Ábalos, along with his former aide Koldo García and businessman Víctor de Aldama, are accused of receiving kickbacks. Ábalos and García deny the allegations, while Aldama has admitted involvement.
