Judge Juan Carlos Peinado ordered Begoña Gómez to stand trial for two alleged crimes and also charged her advisor Cristina Álvarez with alleged embezzlement
The Judge Juan Carlos Peinado has agreed this Monday, September 21 to decree the opening of oral trial and send to trial before a popular juryBegoña Gómez, wife of the nefarious president of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, for the alleged crimes of influence peddling and misappropriation of public funds in the Provincial Court of Madrid
In the same resolution, the instructor opens a case against Cristina Álvarez, advisor to Begoña Gómez at the Palacio de la Moncloa, accused of an alleged crime of misappropriation as a necessary collaborator. This judicial decision formalizes the referral of the case to the popular court after the Provincial Court of Madrid validated in July the continuation of the proceedings for both criminal offenses.
Pedro Sánchez and Begoña Gómez
The judicial resolution, issued in an order of 67 pages, has been dictated in the last week prior to the retirement of the magistrate Juan Carlos Peinado, scheduled for Sunday, September 27. With this procedure, the judge complies with the order of the Provincial Court of Madrid, which had annulled the previous opening of oral trial agreed in June and ordered to revert the proceedings to adapt the accusation writings to the current procedural framework.
Furthermore, the superior court decided in July to limit the procedure by dismissing charges against Begoña Gómez for business corruption and embezzlement —crimes that were included in the first resolution of Peinado—, in addition to separating from the case before the popular jury the businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés and lifting precautionary measures such as the withdrawal of the passport, the prohibition of leaving Spain, and the obligation to appear periodically.
The instructor maintains that "there is sufficient evidence" against the wife of the socialist president based on two blocks of facts supported by the claim that Begoña Gómez"would have taken advantage of her status as the president's wife" to gain personal and professional advantages. The first accusatory axis, focused on influence peddling, is linked to the creation of the extraordinary chair at the Complutense University directed by herself and her personal efforts on behalf of the businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés.
Begoña Gómez
Among these indications are highlighted meetings held at the Palacio de la Moncloa with the university rector, encounters at the official residence with Juan Carlos Barrabés, and the signing of letters of support that resulted in the awarding of two public contracts to the businessman's firm, constituting a "intermediation in favor of Barrabés". Additionally, the order points out the use of the chair as an instrument of "private professional development" through the collection of fees for master's programs and the use of the institutional email of Moncloa.
The second block of charges pertains to the crime of misappropriation of public funds, where it is considered indicatively proven that Begoña Gómez would have "appropriated that software program" conceived within the chair and belonging to the Complutense University.
Given the potential financial harm caused to the public institution, Judge Peinado has requested the Complutense University to send a certification regarding the financial damage caused. For her part, advisor Cristina Álvarez faces charges of misappropriation due to her repeated involvement in the processing of agreements, management of sponsors, events, and the use of the institutional account of Presidency of the Government for private work of the president's wife, exceeding the framework of institutional support.
Pedro Sánchez and Begoña Gómez
The order from Judge Peinado is issued after the preliminary hearing held on September 8, dismissing the claims of the defense attorney for the accused, Jaime Campaner, who described the document from the popular accusation exercised by HazteOír as ineffective.
Likewise, the judge rejected the preventive witness statement of professor José Manuel Ruano, without prejudice to his eventual appearance in the oral trial. As a key asset measure, the magistrate has ordered an inquiry into the "economic capacity" of Begoña Gómez through an official request to the State Agency for Tax Administration (Hacienda) to obtain her last five tax returns (Personal Income Tax) in light of potential economic liabilities. It should be noted that the investigated has previously exercised her right not to testify when summoned to the Assembly of Madrid.
In view of the hearing in the Provincial Court of Madrid, the popular accusation led by the organization HazteOír demands sentences of 13 years in prison for Begoña Gómez and six years for Cristina Álvarez, also requesting that the president Pedro Sánchez testify as a witness during the process. In contrast, the Prosecution and the legal representatives of the accused request full acquittal.
