Begoña Gómez, the 55-year-old university director and wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, must stand trial on charges of influence peddling, corruption while conducting business, and embezzlement of public funds. A judge in a Madrid court ruled that there is sufficient evidence against her to move forward with the proceedings.
Gómez is accused of using her position as the prime minister's wife to secure work contracts and influence government contracts given to a group of technology companies. The judge also cited the misuse of public funds in the hiring of a consultant and the inappropriate use of software while she was a professor at a public university.
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado has ordered Gómez to hand in her passport and banned her from leaving the country. She is required to appear before the court twice a month until a verdict is reached in the case.
This case is one of several corruption affairs involving the Socialist leader’s family and former allies. These developments are threatening to topple the minority coalition government.