Top

Princess Cristina

April 3, 2013 by · Comments Off on Princess Cristina 

Princess Cristina, Spain’s Princess Cristina faces preliminary charges in a financial corruption scandal involving her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, the office of investigating magistrate Jose Castro announced Wednesday. It’s the first time since democracy was restored in Spain in 1975 that a direct member of King Juan Carlos’ family has faced preliminary charges of any kind, in any case, a spokesman for the Royal Household said.

Urdangarin, the king’s son-in-law, already faces preliminary charges as a suspect in the fraud scandal that has created unprecedented problems for the popular royal family. He denies any wrongdoing.

Now, both the princess and her husband are under investigation for allegedly diverting public funds earmarked for a non-profit foundation for private use.

The Royal Household does not comment on judicial decisions, the spokesman said.

Urdangarin was granted the title of Duke of Palma when he married Princess Cristina, the king’s youngest daughter, in 1997.

Judge Castro is leading the investigation at a local court in Palma de Mallorca, in Spain’s Balearic Islands. He’s called Princess Cristina to testify April 27.

An adviser to the royal household also has been implicated in the scandal.

Earlier this year, a judge ordered Urdangarin and a former business associate, Diego Torrres, to deposit a joint bond of 8 million euros ($10.8 million) for potential civil damages. If not, the judge would move to embargo the assets of the two men, a court spokeswoman said.

No trial has been set in the case, which has riveted national attention. Although preliminary charges have been announced, they could eventually be dropped, but a filing of indictments would set a trial in motion.

Bottom