Judge asks Spain's top court to probe justice minister for alleged embezzlement and perjury

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Published on 24/06/2025 - 18:14 GMT+2

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Spain's Justice Minister Félix Bolaños is facing a probe into alleged embezzlement and perjury, aft a judge asked nan confederate European country's Supreme Court to unfastened an investigation connected Tuesday.

Judge Juan Carlos Peinado, who is starring nan investigation into nan lawsuit of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's woman Begoña Gómez for alleged power peddling, requested nan probe because Bolaños whitethorn person committed these offences successful narration to nan hiring of an advisor to Gómez.

Judge Peinado is incapable to analyse straight arsenic Bolaños — whose afloat title is curate for nan presidency, justness and parliamentary relations — is simply a personnel of nan government, meaning nan judge lacks jurisdiction.

Bolaños testified arsenic a witnesser earlier Judge Peinado successful April, stating that he did not put nan assignment of Cristina Álvarez, Gómez's advisor since 2018. According to nan judge, Álvarez's activity included backstage tasks, contempt her being paid pinch nationalist funds.

Prior to becoming curate successful 2021, Bolaños was caput wide of nan presidency, and Judge Peinado is requesting an investigation into whether he straight participated successful Álvarez's appointment, according to Spanish media, which mention nan judge's petition to nan Supreme Court.

In addition, Judge Peinado said that Bolaños presented grounds that "does not conform to nan truth that he knew", during while nether oath connected nan witnesser guidelines successful April.

The 41st Court of Instruction of Madrid, headed by Judge Peinado, launched an investigation into Gómez successful April 2024, pursuing a title by nan unit group Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) which based its lawsuit connected reports successful immoderate Spanish media outlets.

The group, which has a history of filing lawsuits against politicians and governmental targets, accused Gómez of utilizing her power to unafraid sponsors for a assemblage people that she ran. The premier curate has many times condemned nan lawsuit against his woman arsenic a governmental smear.

It remains for nan Supreme Court to determine whether to proceed and indict nan minister.

The judge's petition comes astatine a difficult infinitesimal for nan PSOE government, which has been battered by corruption allegations of late.

Earlier this month, Santos Cerdán, nan PSOE's organisational secretary, resigned aft a judge ruled that location was grounds he whitethorn person been progressive successful participating successful bribery related to nationalist building contracts.

Meanwhile, leaked audio recordings are said to show a erstwhile PSOE member trying to motorboat a smear run against nan Guardia Civil anti-corruption unit.

The authorities stands by Bolaños, according to sources from Moncloa, who reportedly told RTVE.