Judge calls for more witnesses in royal Noos scandal

PUBLISHED: March 11, 2013 at 3:17 pm • LAST EDITED: March 22, 2013 at 7:48 am
National News • 0 Comments

THE judge investigating embezzlement allegations at the Noos Institute is now looking into Princess Cristina’s role while serving as a board member.

The news comes after her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, tried desperately to distance the Royal Family from the fraud accusations made against him.

Urdangarin, who denies any wrong-doing, released a statement last week insisting: “The king’s household neither opined on, advised, authorised or backed my activities.”

Now, Judge Jose Castro has called 36 more witnesses to testify before him including King Juan Carlos’ legal advisor, Jose Romero, and deputy secretary general of the Popular Party, Esteban Pons.

Diego Torres, Urdangarin’s former business partner who is also embroiled in the scandal, has released a series of emails which imply Urdangarin continued work with the Noos Institute until 2007 – a year after the king told him to stop all relations with the foundation.

The emails also suggest the royal household were aware Urdangarin continued his dealings with the sports organisation, raising doubts about the knowledge of Princess Cristina.

Urdangarin is being investigated for allegedly taking public funds in which the non-profit institute received to organize sporting events and conferences.

The former handball player is the only key figure in the family not to have visited King Carlos during his recent hospital spell, while his biography on the official royal website has been removed.

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