Spain: Princess Cristina to be tried for fraud Spains Princess Cristina was indicted on tax fraud charges Monday -- a severe setback to efforts by her brother King Felipe VI to rid the royalty of image problems after his scandal-plagued father abdicated six months ago. Cristina is the first royal family member in the country ordered to stand trial since the monarchy was restored in 1975. Judge Jose Castro has spent four years investigating Cristinas husband on charges ranging from money laundering to fraud. He went against a prosecutors recommendation earlier this month that the 49-year-old Cristina should face only fines and ordered a trial that could see her get prison time of up to four years if found guilty. Her Olympic handball medallist turned businessman husband, Inaki Urdangarin, faces additional charges punishable by up to 19 years jail time. Castros decision sets the stage for a royal trial late next year, just as Spain is expected to see heavy campaigning in national elections that must be called by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy by the end of 2015. After his coronation in June, Felipe pledged to restore public trust in the monarchy. He ordered a palace reshuffle, meaning that Cristina and her sister, Princess Elena, are no longer official members of the royal family. He has also limited gifts that royal household members and employees are allowed to accept and subjected the households account to external audits that are made public. Polls have shown that Felipe is Spains most popular public figure. But royal watchers say his credibility drive would be undercut by the trial for his sister, her husband and 15 others accused of participating in the scheme. Its just unfortunate that Felipe is a new monarch. He has not been on the throne for a year but he has this embarrassment, said Joe Little, the managing editor of the London-based Monarchy magazine. He has tried to build a new, positive image for the monarchy and this is going to set him back in that regard. cp24/news/spain-princess-cristina-to-be-tried-for-fraud-1.2158209
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 21:02:07 +0000
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