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Judge Juan Carlos Peinado has agreed to prosecute Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, for alleged crimes of influence peddling, corruption in business, embezzlement of public funds and misappropriation, after closing the investigation of the case.
The magistrate has ruled out the crime of professional intrusion due to insufficient evidence, but considers there to be sufficient evidence to continue the proceedings for the other four crimes.
The decision also involves the advisor Cristina Álvarez and the businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés, both of whom are also being prosecuted in the framework of this investigation.
The judge has given the parties five days to request the opening of oral proceedings or submit their defence briefs, a step before a possible trial.
The investigation focuses on Gómez’s activities at the Complutense University of Madrid and his relationships with businessmen in projects and professional collaborations promoted by that institution.
The case began in 2024 following a complaint by the organisation Manos Limpias, which other plaintiffs later joined.
The judge expelled Manos Limpias from the case in November 2025 for failing to pay the required bail, although proceedings continued.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office has requested the case be closed on several occasions, while prosecutors have defended its continuation.
The judicial decision places the case in its final phase before the possible opening of an oral trial, rather than mentioning a possible holding before a popular jury.
Political clash over the prosecution of Gómez
The government has attacked Judge Juan Carlos Peinado for proposing to try Gómez on four counts, while the Popular Party (PP) describes the situation of Sánchez’s wife as “incredible”.
The magistrate has concluded the investigation and proposes that Gómez be tried for influence peddling, corruption in business, embezzlement and misappropriation.
The decision was announced during the Spanish prime minister’s official trip to China, where he is accompanied by his wife. The government and the socialist PSOE party suggested the timing was not coincidental.
The government has expressed its dissatisfaction with the content of the ruling, especially the references to “absolutist regimes”, which it considers unbecoming of a democratic system.
Several ministers have come out in defence of Gómez, such as Félix Bolaños, who is confident that higher courts will overturn the decision, and Jordi Hereu, who has defended his innocence.
From the PP, Alma Ezcurra has harshly criticised the situation, stressing that Gómez is in Beijing and describing it as “tetraprocesada” (four-times prosecuted). The PP called the case “absolutely unbelievable” and questioned whether a president should have his wife involved in such a judicial matter.
The PSOE insists the case “lacks any basis” and sees it as part of a right-wing and far-right strategy, whilst coalition partner Sumar called the investigation “questionable”.
Vox’s Ignacio Garriga welcomed the judicial decision and called for the next step to be prosecuting Sánchez himself.