Spain's Court Orders PM Sánchez's Wife to Stand Trial on Corruption Charges, Bans Foreign Travel

Jun 20, 2026

A Spanish court has ordered Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, to stand trial on corruption charges and banned her from leaving the country. The case, stemming from a complaint by a far-right group, alleges influence peddling and misappropriation of funds. Sánchez and his Socialist party call it a politically motivated attack, as several related corruption probes threaten his minority government.

Begoña Gómez trial order

▪The case against Begoña Gómez originated from a complaint filed by Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), an anti-corruption group with far-right links.
▪Investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado ordered Gómez to surrender her passport, banned her from leaving Spain, and required her to report to court twice a month.
▪A Spanish court has ordered Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, to stand trial on corruption charges.
▪The charges against Begoña Gómez include embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business dealings, and misappropriation of funds.
▪Begoña Gómez has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the case.

Complutense University chair allegations

▪The investigation centers on allegations that Gómez used her position to advance private interests, focusing on a chair she co-directed at Madrid’s Complutense University.
▪The judge in the case wrote that the university chair "served as a means of private professional development for the person under investigation."

Socialist party response

▪The Socialist party stated on social media that Begoña Gómez has been subjected to "judicial and political persecution for two years."
▪Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his Socialist Party have dismissed the case as a politically motivated smear campaign by the right wing.

Related corruption investigations

▪Former Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is under investigation for alleged influence peddling in connection with the bailout of airline Plus Ultra.
▪Sánchez's former transport minister, José Luis Ábalos, and the Socialist party's number three are under investigation for alleged kickbacks on public contracts.
▪The case is one of several corruption investigations involving Sánchez's family and political allies that are nearing or at trial.

Political implications for Sánchez

▪The ongoing corruption scandals threaten to topple Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's minority coalition government.
▪Pedro Sánchez came to power in 2018 after ousting a conservative government in a no-confidence vote over its own graft scandal.