Documents cast suspicion on Spain princess in graft probe

Spanish media published extracts Wednesday of documents which indicate the king’s youngest daughter was aware of dodgy deals carried out by her husband, who is being probed for embezzlement.

Inaki Urdangarin, who is married to Princess Cristina, and former partner Diego Torres are suspected of syphoning off millions of euros paid by regional governments to the Noos Institute.

Both men have denied any wrongdoing and have not been charged with any crime, but the scandal is casting a growing shadow over the royal family.

Urdangarin, who gained the title of Duke of Palma when he married Princess Cristina, was chairman of the charitable body from 2004 to 2006.

When Urdangarin was questioned in court last month by a judge investigating the corruption case on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca, he sought to distance the royal family from his suspect business dealings.

But Torres has been releasing emails and other documents in recent weeks in a bid to implicate the royal household in the affair.

Daily newspaper El Mundo reported Wednesday that Torres submitted 30 emails to investigating judge Jose Castro who is leading the corruption probe.

The emails “detail how the duke explained to his wife the details of the Noos Institute’s affairs since she was part of its executive committee”.

In one email dated February 20, 2003 published by the online editions of daily newspapers El Pais and El Mundo, Urdangarin asks his wife for her opinion on a document which he had prepared for clients of the Noos Institute.

Last month Spanish media published other emails that it said were sent by Urdangarin which appeared to indicate that King Juan Carlos closely followed his business dealings.