As of April 2026, Begoña Gómez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has been formally charged with multiple corruption-related offenses following a two-year criminal investigation.

Spanish prime minister’s wife charged with corruption

As of April 2026, Begoña Gómez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has been formally charged with multiple corruption-related offenses following a two-year criminal investigation.

Judge Juan Carlos Peinado issued the ruling, citing "sufficient indications of criminal conduct" regarding her professional activities at Madrid's Complutense University.

 

Key Details of the Charges

Gómez faces several specific criminal charges:

Influence Peddling: Allegedly leveraging her status as the Prime Minister’s wife to secure and manage a university post and business sponsorships.

Embezzlement & Misappropriation of Funds: Misusing public resources and personal connections for private gain.

Corruption in Business Dealings: Irregularities related to the management of a master's degree course she co-directed.

 

Wider Context and Reactions

Defense & Denial: Both Begoña Gómez and Pedro Sánchez have consistently denied any wrongdoing. Sánchez has dismissed the case as a politically motivated attack by "right-wing" and "far-right" groups intended to undermine his coalition government.

Associated Indictments: The judge also charged Gómez's personal assistant, Cristina Álvarez, and businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés.

Broader Scandals: The charges come as Sánchez's government faces additional pressure from a separate investigation into his brother,