The judge overseeing the case of alleged corruption by Spanish premier Pedro Sánchez’s wife has appointed one of Spain’s most elite units to carry out the investigation, EL Mundo reports.
Begoña Gómez is accused of trafficking in influence—that is, using her personal connection as Sánchez’s wife to influence who receives public money. In 2020, not long after Sánchez had begun his first full legislative term as prime minister, Gomez was appointed chair of the newly-created Master in Competitive Social Transformation program at the Complutense University of Madrid, despite not even holding a university degree. The position seemed to have been created just for Gómez. Besides the master’s degree program the department runs, the essential purpose of the position is to connect private companies with public funds, which are ultimately managed by her husband.
Spanish media had been reporting since early this year on several cases of companies and groups receiving generous public funds after Gómez had written letters in their favor or had met with their representatives. According to Spanish media, one such case is that of Carlos Barrabés. He is not only the co-director of the program with Gómez but also a private consultant. With another company, he was awarded three public grants worth in total some €10 million in 2020, and in 2021, three awards. Gómez had written a letter giving him her support for the public grants.
Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), an anti-corruption pressure group, collected the various media reports into a formal complaint that it filed at the end of April. The group Haz Te Oír has since filed its own complaint, as well. Not surprisingly, the initial recommendation of the state prosecutor was to close the case brought by Manos Limpias, but the judge decided to move forward.
El Mundo reports that he has given the investigation to the Central Operating Unit of the Civil Guard (OCU), the same division whose work led to the arrests earlier this year of over 18 people in the Koldo Case, which involves corruption charges surrounding €10 million of mask purchases made during the COVID pandemic. The case implicates the Ministry of Transport of Sánchez’s last government and possibly even Gómez. El Mundo reports that the judge decided to give this case to the same unit as Gómez also has connections with the chief suspect in the case, Koldo García.
The judge has also ordered journalists who have reported on Gómez to provide documents related to the case to the court and to testify in the investigation so he can learn more details of their findings.
El Mundo also reports that judge Juan Carlos Peinado and his family have been subjected to a harassment campaign on social media, including threats and photographs that serve to physically identify him.
Last week, Sánchez threatened to resign over the investigation and has called the charges false, blaming the media.
