Begoña Gómez, Wife of Prime Minister, Faces Jury Trial for Alleged Embezzlement

Judge Juan Carlos Peinado has moved forward with charges against Begoña Gómez, the wife of the Prime Minister, by proposing that she face a jury trial for alleged embezzlement of public funds. Along with her advisor, Cristina Álvarez, and the government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, Gómez is now one step closer to the dock after the judge officially converted the separate investigation into a jury trial. The probe originated from a complaint filed by the Vox party, which argued that evidence, including emails, suggests Gómez's advisor focused on personal professional interests rather than public service duties. One critical email revealed the advisor's communication with the Reale insurance company regarding Gómez's desire to continue funding a university chair at the Complutense University of Madrid, despite the project ultimately not proceeding. This email was sent from a personal account but contained official contacts linked to her role as a Moncloa employee. On September 10, Gómez testified that Álvarez had only occasionally assisted her in balancing her personal and professional obligations, stating that the advisor did her a favor by sending some communications related to the chair she co-directed. Under the Penal Code, embezzlement carries possible prison sentences of up to six years. Initially, Judge Peinado appeared reluctant to investigate Gómez and her advisor for embezzlement, stating that there was no clear indication of criminal responsibility. However, following the Provincial Court of Madrid's directive, which suggested that there might have been a misuse of public assets for private gain, the judge re-evaluated the situation. This shift reflects an evolving judicial process, as indicated by Peinado's remarks about the progressive crystallization of judicial inquiries. Remarkably, he has noted this evolution without new evidence since May that could substantiate the revised stance. The decision now rests with a jury, which could be swayed by the prevailing media narrative surrounding the case. In a broader context, recent statistics from Madrid reveal that out of 44 jury trials conducted in 2023, 43 resulted in convictions, raising concerns about the impartiality of the proceedings. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2