Le roi retire le titre de duchesse à l'infante Cristina

De gauche à droite, le prince Felipe, l'infante Cristina et son
mari Iñaki Urdangarin.

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La sœur du roi, l'infante Cristina, est accusée de délits fiscaux dans un scandale de corruption impliquant aussi son époux.

Le roi d'Espagne Felipe VI a décidé de retirer le titre de duchesse à sa sœur, l'infante Cristina, a annoncé jeudi le Palais Royal. Cette dernière est accusée de délits fiscaux dans un scandale de corruption impliquant aussi son époux.

«Le Bulletin officiel de l'Etat publiera demain un Décret Royal par lequel Sa Majesté le Roi révoquera l'utilisation du titre de Duchesse de Palma de Majorque par l'Altesse royale, l'infante Cristina», a indiqué le palais dans un communiqué. » | vendredi 12 juin 2015

THE GUARDIAN: Spanish king strips sister of duchess title amid tax evasion scandal: King Felipe VI relieves his sister Princess Cristina of her title, Duchess of Palma » | Agence France-Presse | Thursday, June 11, 2015

Spanish Royal Family Fraud Case: First Evidence against King Felipe VI's Brother-in-law

Inaki Urdangarin, the husband of Princess Cristina, the Spanish
king's sister, faces accusations of fraud

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: An accountant and co-accused has provided written testimony of how Princess Cristina's husband allegedly creamed off millions of euros

A key suspect in the fraud case that has embarrassed Spain's royal family has given the first direct account of how King Felipe VI's brother-in-law allegedly embezzled millions of euros of public funds.

Marco-Antonio Tejeiro, an accountant, set out his claims in a detailed written statement to the Spanish court where Inaki Urdangarin, the husband of Princess Cristina, the king's sister, faces accusations of fraud.

The scandal, subject of a four-year investigation by a judge in Palma de Mallorca, soured the reign of former King Juan Carlos, who tearfully handed the crown to his son last month.

Mr Urdangarin, 46, a former Olympic handball player, is accused along with a former business partner, Diego Torres, of creaming off €6 million (£4.76 million) in public funds from contracts to stage events that were awarded to Noos, a supposedly non-profit foundation, partly because of his connections.

Mr Tejeiro, who was Noos's accountant, is to receive a lighter sentence for cooperating with prosecutors, according to a court source, [sic] » | By agencies | Thursday, July 03, 2014

Spain's Princess Cristina Must Face Fraud Charges, Judge Rules

Cristina is accused of complicity in the allegedly dodgy
business dealings of her husband

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: King Felipe VI's sister Princess Cristina, accused of complicity in her husband's business dealings, to face unprecedented criminal trial

The sister of the newly-crowned King Felipe VI of Spain is to face trial on corruption charges, a judge recommended on Wednesday, in a case that has fuelled anti-monarchist sentiment and led to King Juan Carlos’s decision to abdicate in favour of his son.

Princess Cristina will face charges of tax evasion and money laundering linked to her husband’s business dealings, a Spanish judge ruled, opening the path to an unprecedented criminal trial.

Less than a week after her younger brother Felipe, 46 took over the Spanish crown, the ruling served to refocused attention on a scandal that blighted the final years of the reign of 76 year-old King Juan Carlos.

Iñaki Urdangarin, 49, the former Olympic handball champion who married Princess Cristina to become the Duke of Palma in 1997, is to face nine separate charges of criminal activity. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Spain's Princess Cristina Arrives at Court in Mallorca

Princess Cristina of Spain

BBC: Spain's Princess Cristina has arrived in court to be questioned in connection with a corruption scandal involving her husband's business dealings.

It is the first time in history that a member of Spain's royal family has appeared in court as the subject of a criminal investigation.

Her husband Inaki Urdangarin is alleged to have defrauded regional governments of millions of Euros of public money.

Rebecca Jones spoke with BBC correspondent Tom Burridge, who reports live from outside the courthouse in Mallorca. (+ BBC video) » | Saturday, February 08, 2014

Related »

Spain's Princess Cristina Accused of Being 'Evasive' in Tax Fraud Court Case

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Daughter of Spanish King Juan Carlos grilled for several hours in historic inquiry into alleged financial scandal involving her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín

Spain’s Princess Cristina was accused of being “evasive” today as she gave evidence for the first time in a corruption case that has tarnished the image of the country’s royal family.

The 48-year-old younger daughter of King Juan Carlos was grilled for several hours by José Castro, an investigative judge, as part of an inquiry into an alleged financial scandal involving her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Saturday, February 08, 2014

Related »

Spanish Royal Family Braces for Princess Cristina's Court Appearance

Princess Cristina de Borbón and her husband, Iñaki Urdangarin

THE GUARDIAN: Allegations of money laundering and tax evasion against king's daughter are latest episode in family's fall from grace

When a boulevard in Palma de Mallorca was renamed to honour Princess Cristina de Borbón and her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín, in 1998, it seemed like a good fit. It was one of the city's most regal thoroughfares, lined with trees and dotted with fountains and Roman statues, and they were the feted new couple of the Spanish crown. The princess's father, King Juan Carlos, had recently given the pair the titles the Duke and Duchess of Palma.

Fifteen years later, the city changed its mind. Urdangarín was under investigation for embezzlement and questions were being asked about how much his wife knew. "He has conducted himself poorly and has shown a lack of consideration towards the title and the name of our city," said a spokesperson in explanation for why the city was reverting back to the old name of the boulevard.

On Saturday, just a few streets away from the renamed La Rambla, Spain's royal family will live out another chapter in their steady fall from grace. At 10am Princess Cristina de Borbón has been summoned to the city's imposing stone courthouse to answer allegations of money laundering and tax evasion.

The 48-year-old princess will be the first royal-born member of Spain's ruling Bourbons to appear in court since the monarchy was restored in 1975. She will be questioned by prosecutors, the investigating judge José Castro and dozens of lawyers over her role in one of Spain's longest-running corruption scandals. Both Cristina and her husband have denied any wrongdoing.

At its best, Cristina's appearance in court on Saturday could be cathartic for Spain's ailing monarchy, clearing her of wrongdoing and showing the world that justice plays out equally for every Spanish citizen, royal or not.

But at its worst, this weekend's court appearance could result in criminal charges against the princess, and up to six years of jail time and steep fines. Read on and comment » | Ashifa Kassam in Palma de Mallorca | Friday, February 07, 2014

Espagne : l'infante Cristina part vivre en Suisse

LE POINT: La fille de Juan Carlos, qui a bénéficié d'une suspension de son inculpation dans une affaire de corruption, fait l'objet d'une enquête pour fraude fiscale.

La fille cadette du roi d'Espagne, Cristina, éclaboussée par une affaire de corruption pour laquelle son mari Inaki Urdangarin a été inculpé, part vivre avec ses quatre enfants en Suisse pour raisons professionnelles, a annoncé mercredi son employeur. Cristina "partira sous peu pour que les enfants commencent l'école en septembre à Genève", a confirmé une source proche de la famille royale, précisant que Inaki "Urdangarin reste dans sa résidence de Barcelone" où ils vivent actuellement.

L'infante, directrice internationale de la fondation La Caixa, organisme qui gère les oeuvres sociales de la banque espagnole CaixaBank, est nommée à Genève avec pour "mission de gérer et coordonner ses programmes avec les agences des Nations unies dont le siège est à Genève", explique la fondation dans un communiqué. Cristina travaille pour La Caixa depuis 1993. » | Source AFP | mercredi 31 juillet 2013

Spanish Royal Family Plunged into Crisis as Princess Cristina Is Dragged into Corruption Case
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Princess Cristina, the youngest daughter of Spain’s King Juan Carlos, has been named a suspect in a far-reaching corruption probe centring on her husband, dealing a huge blow to the prestige of the Spanish royal family.


The 47-year old princess, who is seventh in line to the Spanish throne, has been ordered to testify on April 27 at a court in Palma de Mallorca on suspicion of influence peddling, judicial sources said.

She will face accusations that she cooperated in the business dealings of her husband Inaki Urdangarin while he was head of the not-for-profit Noos Institute, through which he is alleged to have embezzled 6 million euros of public funds.

She was a member of the board of the Noos Institute between 2004-2006, through which Urdangarin won public contracts to stage sporting and tourism events. She also co-owned one of the private companies which her husband allegedly used to divert funds.

The Duke of Palma had sought to protect his wife, insisting in statements to the court that she had been involved in name only and had no knowledge of day to day dealings of his companies.

But emails released to the court by his estranged business partner Diego Torres, who is also accused of embezzlement and money laundering, purportedly showed that she had been regularly consulted.

Investigating Judge Jose Castro, who had previously rejected prosecution requests to indict Princess Cristina, said Wednesday that fresh evidence suggested that she was aware that her husband used her name and status in dealings from which they both benefitted.

He said that she would have to be questioned for the probe to be complete and to show that “justice treats all equally”. » | Agence France-Presse in Madrid | Wednesday, April 03, 2013