Dilip Kuner
FORMER King Juan Carlos is being investigated by Spain’s Supreme Court prosecutor into whether he illegally received millions of euros worth of kickbacks from Saudi Arabia.
The probe dates back to another inquiry launched by Spain’s anti-corruption prosecutor into a massive contract won by Spanish companies in 2011 to build a high-speed railway linking the cities of Medina and Mecca.
Swiss newspaper La Tribune de Geneve claimed that before his 2014 abdication, Juan Carlos received nearly €100 million from the late king of Saudi Arabia.
As king, Juan Carlos enjoyed immunity from prosecution. But now the supreme court prosecutor is looking to see if he can be included in the case for any actions that took place after he abdicated in favour of his son, when he ceased to be covered by immunity.
A statement from the prosecutor said: “This investigation focuses, precisely, on establishing or discarding the criminal relevance of deeds that happened after June 2014, when the King Emeritus was no longer protected by inviolability.”
Juan Carlos had enjoyed immense popularity and respect, built up during Spain’s transition into democracy after Spanish dictator Francisco Franco died in 1975.
A series of scandals destroyed his reputation and eventually forced him to hand the throne to his son, Felipe.
One of these centred on his relationship with businesswoman Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein. The former king is alleged by La Tribune de Geneve to have given her nearly €57 million.
