Investigation into influence trafficking and corruption, 2024

 

Investigation into influence trafficking and corruption, 2024

On 24 April 2024, a judge opened an investigation into Gómez for possible influence trafficking and corruption following a complaint by a number of anti-graft organizations, including Manos Limpias, or Clean Hands in English (referencing the 1990s Italian corruption investigative pool Mani pulite), an anti-corruption non-governmental organization. Led by Miguel Bernad [es], formerly the secretary general of the far-right National Front it considers itself a trade union but its main activity is acting as a platform pursuing politically-motivated legal cases; for example, they brought the popular accusation against Iñaki Urdangarín and his wife the daughter of the King of Spain, which led to the conviction of the former for corruption offences.

 

Gómez had signed several letters of recommendation for companies that ended up receiving state aid or contracts.The Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard found no evidence that she or Sanchez himself interceded in favour of these companies,[19][20] but some considered her behavior to be ethically doubtful; unlike countries such as the United Kingdom, Spain has no code of ethics defining activities of the relatives of public officials.[18] At a rally of the Spanish far-right party Vox in Madrid on 19 May 2024, the incumbent Argentinian president Javier Milei called Gómez corrupt, which caused a diplomatic crisis with Argentina, and the Spanish ambassador demanded apologies. The attack on his wife caused Sanchez to take a five-day recess and consider resignation, which he ultimately did not do, writing: "We are absolutely calm. There is nothing behind these accusations, only a cheap hoax created by far-right groups." The education minister and government spokesperson Pilar Alegría expressed surprise at the fact the news of the investigation came out ahead of the 2024 European Parliament election in Spain and stated: "We know that there is absolutely nothing here. What we have here is a mudslinging campaign by the right and the far right." Gómez was scheduled to testify before a Madrid court on 5 July 2024 as "an investigated party" about "the alleged offences of corruption in the private sector and influence peddling".

 

On 10 June 2024, the European Public Prosecutor's Office, which rejected Vox's private accusation because these are not allowed in this type of procedure, demanded that the court assume part of the investigation of the case for alleged corruption, alleging that European funds were involved. Complutense University sent the court a report in which it found indications that Gómez could have committed a crime of misappropriation by having appropriated software financed by the University itself, and by having issued contracts and expenses on behalf of the University without being authorized to do so. The report also indicated lack of cooperation on the part of the investigated.

 

On 15 July 2024, Juan Carlos Barrabés, a Spanish businessman linked to Gomez, testified as a witness. He claimed to have met up to eight times with Gómez at the Moncloa Palace, and on at least two occasions with President Pedro Sánchez present. On July 19, 2024, Gómez refused to testify before Judge Peinado. The vice-rectors of Complutense University stated that they had warned Gómez that she could not put the software financed by the Complutense University in her name. Likewise, vice-rector Juan Carlos Doadrio declared that it was rector Joaquín Goyache who had ordered him to create the chair of Gómez.On 29 October 2024, the judge charged Gómez with alleged crimes of misappropriation and professional trespassing for supposedly having appropriated the software of the chair that was paid for by the Complutense University. In September 2025, Judge Juan Carlos Peinado summoned Gomez to appear in court for a jury trial. Following the two year investigation, on 14 April 2026, it was reported that she is formally charged on several corruption offenses, that include embezzlement, influence peddling, and misuse of public funds.