Begona Gomez has been ordered to surrender his passport and appear in court twice a month amid suspicions of influence peddling.
The wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Begona Gomez, will be brought before a judicial tribunal on corruption-related charges, EFE news agency reported on Saturday, citing a decision issued by an investigating judge following preliminary hearings held earlier this week.
Gomez was formally charged in April with embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business operations, and misappropriation of funds.
Prosecutors are reportedly seeking 24 years in prison for the 55-year-old university director, who was also ordered to surrender his passport and appear in court twice a month pending further proceedings.
His adviser, Cristina Alvarez, who is accused of similar crimes, and businessman Juan Carlos Barrabes will also be brought to court.
The investigation against Gomez was launched in 2024 following a complaint filed by the anti-corruption campaign group Manos Limpias, whose leader is reportedly linked to Spain’s far-right. The agency alleged that Gomez used her position as the prime minister’s wife to influence government contracts awarded to a group of technology companies.
The scope of the investigation was later expanded after additional accusations that Gomez misused public funds in hiring a consultant and misused programs while working at the Complutense University of Madrid, where he headed the academic chair.
His legal team denied any wrongdoing and said the case was politically motivated.
Sanchez, the leader of Spain’s Socialist Workers Party, has not been linked to the case.
However, after the investigation became public, he suspended public activities “for a few days” and said he was considering resigning, denouncing what he called a campaign of political and personal violence against his family. Later Sanchez announced that he will remain in office and continue to lead the government.
Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Zapatero was also involved in a corruption investigation in May over the alleged misuse of 53 million euros in state aid given to the airline Plus Ultra in 2021. Earlier this week, the court rejected a request by prosecutors to impose precautionary measures, including surrendering his passport and a travel ban.
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