The Madrid Provincial Court approves the decision of Judge Juan Carlos Peinado to investigate, for an alleged crime of embezzlement, Begoña Gomezwife of Pedro Sánchez, already Cristina Alvarezhis assistant at the Palace of Moncloa.
And, for this purpose, let us recall that the latter, on behalf of the former, asked the company Real Insurance to continue financing the university chair that Gómez co-directed at the time at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM).
Álvarez addressed the insurer in April 2024, via email, revealed by EL ESPAÑOL.
Email sent by Álvarez to Reale Seguros urging them to continue funding Begoña’s chair.
“Begoña tells me to transfer you that he would like you to continue to be patrons of the Chair, even if it is with a lower quantity. Ready to collaborate with you on whatever you need,” he said at a Reale board meeting.
This is not the only effort that the assistant has made in favor of Sánchez’s wife’s private businesses. There are 121 other emails exchanged between Álvarez and the UCM. In fact, Álvarez He came to participate in the management of the finances of the chair and agreements with its sponsors.
Another example: in February 2022, he sent an email to the vice-rector at the time. Juan Carlos Doadrio in which he informed her of the details of an agreement with a company.
The assistant explained in detail, in the plural: “We want something which shows above all (that) in case of profits, Mindway must give 10% to the Chair.”
Neither for Begoña Gómez’s defense, nor for the prosecution, nor for Cristina Álvarez’s lawyer, these acts constitute an offense of embezzlement. Peinado, the judge investigating the two women, attributes this crime to them.
And the Madrid court, hierarchically superior to the instructor, approved that the latter continues an investigation into this crime. As a hypothetical trial approaches, Peinado will have to legally and precisely qualify the facts investigated.
Furthermore, the court emphasizes that the resolution in which the judge summoned Gómez and Álvarez to testify for alleged embezzlement was sufficiently motivated.
“It is reasoned, the instructor exposing the evidence which, in his opinion, justifies the agreed diligence, which is none other than hearing the testimony of the accused, which does not imply any violation of fundamental rights, since they can avail themselves of their right not to testify, as has been done on other occasions”, indicates the Court of Madrid.
Based on the aforementioned emails —especially the one addressed to Reale Seguros—, the court concluded that “the case contains indications of a possible excess of her duties on the part of the assistant.”
On the other hand, he emphasizes that the fact that Álvarez, Gómez’s “Close Friend”was chosen, instead of a protocol expert, “is doubtful” and can already constitute, in itself, a “first indicator which supports the crime of embezzlement”.
The Court recalls that it is “the first time, in this type of appointment, that it is not made to a civil servant expert in protocol, for the best exercise of the function”, but rather to a person of “maximum confidence” of the wife of a President of the Government.
“Not so that he directs his steps through a complicated world of formalities, ceremonies and official acts, but to ensure the faithful achievement of the allegedly proposed goal, taking into account his private interests, with the resulting damage to public property, which would imply a device act that could be included in the criminal type of embezzlement,” states Article 23 of the Court of Madrid.
In a 13-page resolution dated February 5 and known this Thursday, the Madrid Court recalls that “the offense of embezzlement includes all property and rights with a patrimonial content capable of being evaluated economically of which Administrations could be owners”.
And this list includes, for example, lottery tickets or the capital of public companies, but also “labour”, applicable in “cases in which a municipal employee is used during the hours in which he must provide his service to the Administration”.
Specific favors
When Begoña Gómez declared herself under investigation before Judge Peinado, she admitted that she had a close friendship with Álvarez, for more than 20 years. So, when Sánchez arrived at Moncloa in 2018, he selected her to become Program Director of the Presidency of the Government, a temporary (trusted) position.
The wife of the President of the Executive admitted that the assistant had rendered her “services”, which she described as specific, due to their long friendship.
Now, these favors were, among others, those already mentioned: exchange 121 emails with the heads of the UCM, participate in the management of the finances of the chair or propose to Reale Seguros to continue to finance it.
Furthermore, Indra, at the request of Judge Peinado, delivered 38 more emails that members of this company crossed paths with Álvarez, the contents of which are still unknown.
The company has altruistically contributed to more than 150,000 euros to develop a software attributed to the aforementioned president.
The instructor also seeks to know if Begoña Gómez appropriated this digital tool, whose services were offered – yes, for free – on a website that they own.
Gómez also said – and this was confirmed by Álvarez – that the latter’s work in Moncloa included 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Madrid Court alludes to this point in its resolution. The court accepts that this was “probably” the case and that the advisor was active.twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, what, since then this seems excessive.
In the eyes of Article 23, this behavior is “more typical of a friend interested in the lucrative business” of Begoña Gómez “than in the cold work of the person in charge of the agenda and other matters.”
protocols”.
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