Spanish Court Orders Trial of Pedro Sánchez’s Wife in Corruption Probe

A Spanish court has ordered Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, to stand trial on corruption charges after a two-year investigation. The judge also barred her from leaving Spain, ordered her to surrender her passport, and required her to appear in court twice a month.

The probe focuses on alleged embezzlement, corruption, influence peddling, and misuse of public funds. Investigators suspect Gómez used her position as the prime minister’s spouse to secure work contracts illegally.

Judge Juan Carlos Peinado made the ruling, which adds to several other investigations involving people close to Sánchez. The Spanish leader has been one of Europe’s harshest critics of Israel since the Gaza war began, and during the war with Iran he also blocked U.S. aircraft from crossing Spanish airspace.

Gómez and Sánchez deny the allegations and say they amount to political persecution aimed at the prime minister through his wife. Sánchez called the claims against her “baseless slander with political motives.” He accused political and media rivals of targeting his family and openly questioned the impartiality of some members of the judiciary. The Socialist Party said on X that Gómez has faced “legal and political persecution” for two years and that Thursday’s development was another step in that process.