Gomez and Sánchez are currently on an official visit to China, with Gomez accompanying the prime minister on the trip.

At Madrid’s Complutense University, a chair project co-led by Gomez is under investigation for alleged use of public resources and connections to advance private interests, with a judge finding sufficient indications of criminal conduct and pushing the case toward trial.

Charges include influence peddling related to the chair project, using private funds for personal assets, and concealing compensation from companies tied to potential public contracts.

The judge describes the chair as a private advancement vehicle for the person under investigation, suggesting a pattern of using official influence for private gain.

In April 2024, Pedro Sánchez publicly contemplated stepping down amid the case, defending Gomez and himself against what he called a right-wing smear machine.

The April 11 ruling was released publicly and the case has now moved to court to determine whether Gomez will stand trial.

The investigation is part of broader corruption scrutiny surrounding Sánchez’s inner circle, triggering opposition calls for Gomez’s resignation and a criminal complaint from an anti-corruption group with ties to the far right.

Two Civil Guard reports found no infractions and the Public Prosecutor urged dismissal, yet the judge continued the judicial investigation.

The judge notes meetings at Moncloa Palace and frames the case within a pattern reminiscent of historic governance, setting a five-day window for parties to present opinions on proceeding to trial.

Gomez’s husband, Pedro Sánchez, faces parallel scrutiny; a separate investigation led to formal charges against Begona Gomez for embezzlement, influence peddling, and related offenses, though Gomez herself has denied wrongdoing.

The judge proposed a trial by jury for Gomez, her aide Cristina Alvarez, and businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés, indicating their direct involvement in actions surrounding the chair and related contracts.

The broader frame includes indictments of Sánchez’s brother and former Transport Minister Abalos in related influence-peddling and graft cases, underscoring a wider political corruption narrative.