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Spanish king's son-in-law charged with embezzlement
Source: Agencies |
December 30, 2011, Friday
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THE Spanish king's son-in-law was charged yesterday in a fraud and embezzlement case that has damaged the royal family, which this week took the unprecedented step of disclosing its income.
The Palma de Mallorca court did not specify the charges against Inaki Urdangarin, the Duke of Palma, a retired Olympic handball player married to King Juan Carlos's younger daughter, the Infanta Cristina.
It ordered him to testify in an investigation into alleged misuse of millions of euros in public funds at his non-profit Noos Institute, which he ran from 2004 to 2006.
Urdangarin has denied wrongdoing, but he apologized publicly this month for the embarrassment his legal problems were causing the royal family, which he said had nothing to do with his business affairs.
The investigation found evidence of misuse of public funds, forgery and fraud in 2003 to 2006, a period when Noos had income of 15 million euros (US$19.4 million), according to local press reports.
They said Noos organized two tourism conferences for the Balearic Islands, charging 2.3 million euros, and channelled more than half to for-profit companies owned by Urdangarin or his business partners, for items such as logistical support.
The same pattern was detected in sports summits staged in Valencia. The probe also found that Urdangarin's companies were not able to justify the payments, reports said.
The royal family has "absolute respect" for court decisions, a spokesman said.
The case against the duke is one of several big fraud scandals in Spanish courts, most dating to the real estate boom before the current global financial crisis when local governments went on spending sprees.
Spain's royals have distanced the duke from events. Urdangarin and his wife and four children moved in 2009 to Washington, where he represents Spanish telecoms group Telefonica.
In a display of transparency apparently prompted by the case, the royal family disclosed income details on Wednesday for the first time, showing that the king and his immediate family received 814,128 euros last year for personal expenses.
Most of their living expenses are covered under other budgets.
A poll by the Social Research Centre, or CIS, shows that the historically high approval ratings for the royal family have fallen this year.
King Juan Carlos, 73, is well liked and widely respected for overseeing the country's transition to democracy following Francisco Franco's nearly four-decade-long dictatorship. His son, Prince Felipe, is his heir.
The Palma de Mallorca court did not specify the charges against Inaki Urdangarin, the Duke of Palma, a retired Olympic handball player married to King Juan Carlos's younger daughter, the Infanta Cristina.
It ordered him to testify in an investigation into alleged misuse of millions of euros in public funds at his non-profit Noos Institute, which he ran from 2004 to 2006.
Urdangarin has denied wrongdoing, but he apologized publicly this month for the embarrassment his legal problems were causing the royal family, which he said had nothing to do with his business affairs.
The investigation found evidence of misuse of public funds, forgery and fraud in 2003 to 2006, a period when Noos had income of 15 million euros (US$19.4 million), according to local press reports.
They said Noos organized two tourism conferences for the Balearic Islands, charging 2.3 million euros, and channelled more than half to for-profit companies owned by Urdangarin or his business partners, for items such as logistical support.
The same pattern was detected in sports summits staged in Valencia. The probe also found that Urdangarin's companies were not able to justify the payments, reports said.
The royal family has "absolute respect" for court decisions, a spokesman said.
The case against the duke is one of several big fraud scandals in Spanish courts, most dating to the real estate boom before the current global financial crisis when local governments went on spending sprees.
Spain's royals have distanced the duke from events. Urdangarin and his wife and four children moved in 2009 to Washington, where he represents Spanish telecoms group Telefonica.
In a display of transparency apparently prompted by the case, the royal family disclosed income details on Wednesday for the first time, showing that the king and his immediate family received 814,128 euros last year for personal expenses.
Most of their living expenses are covered under other budgets.
A poll by the Social Research Centre, or CIS, shows that the historically high approval ratings for the royal family have fallen this year.
King Juan Carlos, 73, is well liked and widely respected for overseeing the country's transition to democracy following Francisco Franco's nearly four-decade-long dictatorship. His son, Prince Felipe, is his heir.
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