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| Spain's Princess Cristina faces court over tax fraud claims | |
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| The king of Spain's youngest daughter has been summoned to appear in court over money laundering and tax evasion allegations, in the latest blow to the Spanish royal family's reputation. | The king of Spain's youngest daughter has been summoned to appear in court over money laundering and tax evasion allegations, in the latest blow to the Spanish royal family's reputation. |
| The charges relate to the alleged embezzlement of public funds by Princess Cristina's husband, Iñaki Urdangarin, and his business partner Diego Torres. Cristina – now a formal suspect – will have to testify in court in Palma de Mallorca on 8 March. | The charges relate to the alleged embezzlement of public funds by Princess Cristina's husband, Iñaki Urdangarin, and his business partner Diego Torres. Cristina – now a formal suspect – will have to testify in court in Palma de Mallorca on 8 March. |
| Urdangarin and Torres are accused of pocketing €5.8m in public funds that were channelled through their not-for-profit Instituto Nóos and the family business Aizoon, of which Cristina is co-owner. The bulk of the money came from the regional governments of Valencia and the Balearic Islands, both of whose presidents have faced a string of corruption charges. | Urdangarin and Torres are accused of pocketing €5.8m in public funds that were channelled through their not-for-profit Instituto Nóos and the family business Aizoon, of which Cristina is co-owner. The bulk of the money came from the regional governments of Valencia and the Balearic Islands, both of whose presidents have faced a string of corruption charges. |
| Some of the claims against Urdangarin and Cristina relate to the €6m mansion the couple bought in Barcelona and the further €3m they spent on home improvements. The house has since been confiscated to cover Torres and Urdangarin's bail of €6.1m. The net began to close on Cristina when documents showed that she had signed herself as both owner and tenant of the palace. | Some of the claims against Urdangarin and Cristina relate to the €6m mansion the couple bought in Barcelona and the further €3m they spent on home improvements. The house has since been confiscated to cover Torres and Urdangarin's bail of €6.1m. The net began to close on Cristina when documents showed that she had signed herself as both owner and tenant of the palace. |
| José Castro, the investigating judge, claims that putting the princess on the stand will remove "any shadow of suspicion" that she is receiving special treatment. Ana María Tejeiro, Torres' wife, has been indicted since the start of the investigation while Cristina was treated as being above suspicion. "Are not all Spaniards equal before the law?" Tejeiro's lawyer asked the judge. | José Castro, the investigating judge, claims that putting the princess on the stand will remove "any shadow of suspicion" that she is receiving special treatment. Ana María Tejeiro, Torres' wife, has been indicted since the start of the investigation while Cristina was treated as being above suspicion. "Are not all Spaniards equal before the law?" Tejeiro's lawyer asked the judge. |
| Tuesday's news is the latest blow to the already battered image of the Spanish royal family. King Juan Carlos was crowned in 1975, two days after the death of the dictator Franco, and became the darling of the fledgling Spanish democracy when he played a key role in stopping an attempted military coup in 1981. From then on the Spanish royals were untouchable and when Cristina married Urdangarin in Barcelona in 1997, only weeks after Princess Diana's death, many in Spain hoped she would fill the Diana's shoes as a pretty, modern, self-assured princess. | Tuesday's news is the latest blow to the already battered image of the Spanish royal family. King Juan Carlos was crowned in 1975, two days after the death of the dictator Franco, and became the darling of the fledgling Spanish democracy when he played a key role in stopping an attempted military coup in 1981. From then on the Spanish royals were untouchable and when Cristina married Urdangarin in Barcelona in 1997, only weeks after Princess Diana's death, many in Spain hoped she would fill the Diana's shoes as a pretty, modern, self-assured princess. |
| The royals began to lose their shine, first with rumours of the king's extra-marital affairs and then the divorce of Cristina's older sister. Then, two years ago, Juan Carlos was photographed standing proudly next to the elephant he shot on a hunting trip in Botswana. This proved too much for many Spaniards. Not only was the king honorary president of the World Wildlife Fund but embarking on such an expensive trip in a country with more than five million people out of work seemed proof that the royals were out of touch. | The royals began to lose their shine, first with rumours of the king's extra-marital affairs and then the divorce of Cristina's older sister. Then, two years ago, Juan Carlos was photographed standing proudly next to the elephant he shot on a hunting trip in Botswana. This proved too much for many Spaniards. Not only was the king honorary president of the World Wildlife Fund but embarking on such an expensive trip in a country with more than five million people out of work seemed proof that the royals were out of touch. |
| In his 227-page decree, the judge says that it would have been "difficult for Urdangarin to defraud Inland Revenue without his wife's knowledge and acquiescence", adding that Cristina "chose to look the other way". | In his 227-page decree, the judge says that it would have been "difficult for Urdangarin to defraud Inland Revenue without his wife's knowledge and acquiescence", adding that Cristina "chose to look the other way". |
| In the unlikely event that she is found guilty, Cristina faces up to six years in prison for money laundering and a fine of three times the value of the money laundered, as well as further punishment for tax evasion. Cristina and Urdangarin both deny any wrongdoing. | In the unlikely event that she is found guilty, Cristina faces up to six years in prison for money laundering and a fine of three times the value of the money laundered, as well as further punishment for tax evasion. Cristina and Urdangarin both deny any wrongdoing. |
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