Spanish princess testifies in fraud trial
Princess Cristina, the sister of King Felipe VI, took the stand in a tax fraud-and embezzlement trial on business dealings that funded a lavish lifestyle for her and her husband.
|||Palma de Mallorca - Spain's Princess Cristina took the stand Thursday to testify in a tax fraud-and embezzlement trial on business dealings that funded a lavish lifestyle for her and her husband, but invoked the right to answer only questions posed by her own lawyer.
Cristina sat silently before the three-judge panel in Palma de Mallorca, at first listening to questions posed by a lawyer for those who leveled charges against her, making an appearance after her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, wrapped up three days of testimony.
The case centers on accusations that Urdangarin used his former title of Duke of Palma to embezzle about 6 million euros ($6.6 million) in public funds. Seventeen people are charged in the case, including Urdangarin and the princess.
Christina faces two counts of tax fraud, and each carry a maximum jail sentence of four years. She is the first member of Spain's royal family to face criminal charges since the monarchy was restored in 1975. Urdangarin faces stiffer charges and a possible jail sentence of nearly 20 years.
Prosecutors, however, recommended not charging the princess, saying she should face an administrative fine at most.
But under Spanish law, groups like the Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) organization involved in the princess' trial can pursue criminal charges against people when authorities decide not to do so.
Cristina's lawyer was expected to ask her questions after the lawyer for Manos Limpias, Virginia Lopez Negrete, finished reading a lengthy list of questions focusing on whether the princess improperly funded part of her lifestyle in Barcelona at a mansion the couple have since been forced to sell.
Earlier Thursday, Urdangarin was unable to explain in court how personal expenses such as safari trips and wine for him and his wife were billed to the credit card of a company they co-owned. But Urdangarin, a former Olympic handball medalist-turned-entrepreneur, still insisted he never knew he might have been doing anything questionable.
Urdangarin said that his wife never used the credit card for the Aizoon real estate consultancy the couple co-owned. He said he and other people used it, passing the bills to his secretary at the firm, which has been labeled a “front company” in court documents.
An investigative judge found that the couple never reported as income personal expenses billed to the company, but Urdangarin testified he relied on the advice of others for determining which expenses should be charged to Aizoon.
“I have never been aware of committing any tax offense because I had my advisers who told me everything was correct,” Urdangarin said.
The expenses charged to Aizoon cited in court included 15,797 euros ($17,174) for a safari trip to Africa, 6,672 euros for a coaching course for Cristina and 1,357 euros for wine.
Urdangarin said he had made Cristina a co-director of Aizoon because he wanted her to be part of his new project but also insisted “she didn't have anything to do with the company's activities.”
Legal experts say Cristina's defense relies on her convincing the judges that she knew nothing about her husband's business activities.
Urdangarin testified Wednesday that palace officials who worked for former King Juan Carlos oversaw the princess' tax filings and had detailed knowledge of his business operations.
Cristina is the sister of King Felipe VI, who took power in 2014 after his father abdicated.
Associated Press