Business Standard

Spanish princess to face fraud trial

Image

IANS London

Spanish King Felipe VI's sister Princess Cristina is to face a tax fraud trial over alleged links to her husband's business dealings, media reported Monday.

It is the first time in modern Spain that a royal will be put in the dock to face trial, BBC reported.

Her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, is accused of embezzling millions in public funds with a former business partner.

The couple has denied all accusations.

Prosecutors in Palma, Majorca, say Urdangarin's sports foundation misused public money.

It is alleged that 5.6 million euros ($7.5 million) of public money went missing from the Noos Institute, a charitable sports foundation, when Urdangarin was in charge of it.

 

Princess Cristina, 49, is under suspicion over embezzlement of 2.6 million euros of that money.

She is the youngest daughter of former king Juan Carlos.

The allegations relate to business affairs in 2007-2008.

Urdangarin and his then business partner, Diego Torres, allegedly used the Noos Institute to organise events for the regional governments of Valencia and the Balearic Islands at hugely inflated prices.

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Dec 22 2014 | 5:02 PM IST

Explore News