Iñaki, Cristina and the NOOS Corruption Investigation Part 1 (2011-2014)


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it rather sounds like organized crime from Inaki & his "friends".

What kind of marriage is this in case Cristina didnt know? She either closed her eyes because she is a person who isnt interested in where the money is coming from, the main point is that its there; or she knew exactly what was going on and thought that nobody would dare to expose the King's son-in-law.
You are so correct! She HAD to know but since she was always the darling of the media and favorite child of the King, she actually thought that NOTHING could ever hurt her. People just wouldn't dare. And, that was life and true years ago. But with the media of today with Internet, 24 hour news channels on TV, etc., nothing goes unnoticed no matter how the government wants to hide. This is good as the public should hold their officials accountable. No one should be able to break the law. I still believe that the only redemption for the SRF is if Inaki spends some real time in jail and that Cristina is offically removed from Spain for many years. Anything else will only cause the people to feel that special treatment is given Inaki and Cristina, which on top of everything else this King is doing recently, not a good idea!
 
We've seen this sort of thing in Ireland quite a lot since the property market crashed. Lots of developers took out loans in the name of their wives, or had their wives sign personal guarantees and now all these women are claiming that they had no idea what they had signed, they just did as they were told by their husbands. Needless to say the aren't falling for it.

Christina is either incredibly stupid or so devoted to her husband that she chose to turn a blind eye. I don't know which scenario is worse.
 
Christina is either incredibly stupid or so devoted to her husband that she chose to turn a blind eye. I don't know which scenario is worse.

I personally don't believe that either is correct. I believe she was in on the entire situation and money grabbing from the start. Upper class living needs quite a bit of money to maintain for years. She knew their salaries certainly didn't make it. They had the perfect scam to achieve. It would still be going on if someone hadn't put two and two together and investigated. No different than any other greedy scam artists that are now sitting in prisons all over the world. Just because they are "royals", they don't have the right to rob from inocent people and not be properly punished.
 
I personally don't believe that either is correct. I believe she was in on the entire situation and money grabbing from the start. Upper class living needs quite a bit of money to maintain for years. She knew their salaries certainly didn't make it. They had the perfect scam to achieve. It would still be going on if someone hadn't put two and two together and investigated. No different than any other greedy scam artists that are now sitting in prisons all over the world. Just because they are "royals", they don't have the right to rob from inocent people and not be properly punished.

I tend to agree with you.
The way it looks to me, Cristina was perfectly aware of all of her husband's doings from the very beginning. She believed, wrongly as it turned out, that her father's name and influence would protect her family should something came to the attention of authorities. She may not be questioned, charged or sentenced, but the stain on her name and the shame she brought upon her family will remain forever.

I am sorry for Cristina and Inaki's children, but no sympathy whatsoever for the couple; they got what they deserve. In fact, I think they'll off a lot easier then they should. The real victims are the innocent people who were fooled by Inaki, his partner, and everyone else who took part in this scheme.
 
I think being a younger child of a reigning monarch is an upbringing particularly vulnerable to a certain sort of weird, potentially unhealthy attitude towards life. The eldest child, or eldest son, in a royal family is immensely privileged but also generally brought up knowing they have a purpose and responsibilities to their country and the rest of their family. The heir has something to work for. What about the rest of the children, though? It's fine to tell them they have responsibilities, too, but the harsh reality is, as time goes on, they become less and less vital to the institution that's been so central to their lives.

And I mean, really, why would someone like Christina question where the money's coming from? Do you think she was taught to question why her family lived in luxurious surroundings, went to the best schools, had the best vacations, despite their relative lack of personal wealth? She didn't have to do anything to get all that, she got it just because of who she WAS, or more to the point, who her father was. And that's great, but there's a reason younger siblings in these families historically tended to marry other royals or to marry money - that's how you keep your lifestyle as an adult, (I'm going to guess that working 90 hours a week at a bank to earn that lifestyle for themselves was not presented as a serious option for the Spanish infantas).
 
I think being a younger child of a reigning monarch is an upbringing particularly vulnerable to a certain sort of weird, potentially unhealthy attitude towards life. The eldest child, or eldest son, in a royal family is immensely privileged but also generally brought up knowing they have a purpose and responsibilities to their country and the rest of their family. The heir has something to work for. What about the rest of the children, though? It's fine to tell them they have responsibilities, too, but the harsh reality is, as time goes on, they become less and less vital to the institution that's been so central to their lives.

And I mean, really, why would someone like Christina question where the money's coming from? Do you think she was taught to question why her family lived in luxurious surroundings, went to the best schools, had the best vacations, despite their relative lack of personal wealth? She didn't have to do anything to get all that, she got it just because of who she WAS, or more to the point, who her father was. And that's great, but there's a reason younger siblings in these families historically tended to marry other royals or to marry money - that's how you keep your lifestyle as an adult, (I'm going to guess that working 90 hours a week at a bank to earn that lifestyle for themselves was not presented as a serious option for the Spanish infantas).

While I really do think you could be right there, if she's charged, that's NOT the defense she wants to present, "I was just so used to it, you know...." :bang: The Spanish public appears to be incensed enough over this.
 
I dont know enough but from the little I have read I am not willing to sail Christina down the river. There are cases where the wife does not know, I've heard about it in cases of money, affairs, and even some wives who were married to serial killers. I do wonder if the SRF would be so cruel as to ask her to choose between her marriage or her title.
 
I personally don't believe that either is correct. I believe she was in on the entire situation and money grabbing from the start. Upper class living needs quite a bit of money to maintain for years. She knew their salaries certainly didn't make it. They had the perfect scam to achieve. It would still be going on if someone hadn't put two and two together and investigated. No different than any other greedy scam artists that are now sitting in prisons all over the world. Just because they are "royals", they don't have the right to rob from inocent people and not be properly punished.

Completely agree with you. Cristina wanted to get rich with her father's connection, many people did that with their parents' connection all over the world, why not her ? She was not the only one in the family, her sister Elena also wanted to get rich, but was a couple of years too late. Elena found a financial consultant company right after the divorce, only got shut down by the King immediately.

I dont know enough but from the little I have read I am not willing to sail Christina down the river. There are cases where the wife does not know, I've heard about it in cases of money, affairs, and even some wives who were married to serial killers. I do wonder if the SRF would be so cruel as to ask her to choose between her marriage or her title.

She is not a normal wife, she is the wife with the connection her husband depended on. There are evidence she had helped her hubby to facilitate contracts. I never thought Inaki could get all those contracts without the help of the King. Now the only thing that could save her is that she has no executive role in the Noos, but it doesn't mean she didn't know the frauds of Noos. Her secretary and confidant was the treasurer of Noos, I doubt he didn't inform her on the business of Noos. Almost everyone who had been working for Noos, including part-time workers, had been called to testify at least as witnesses, why not Cristina and her secretary ? Why is the King so afraid of Cristina or her secretary being questioned ? Sure, everyone is equal in front of justice (in the Christmas speech of the King).
 
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That's incredible to me that even lowliest workers of Noos were questioned but NOT Cristina or the secretary, AND very telling. Whoever said Cristina will have this hanging over her head for the rest of her life is right.
 
... it makes one think that Inaki is only the commoner fall guy for other members / confidantes of the royal family, who have always known what was going on but kept their mouth shut or even supported Inaki for their own gain.
 
I think being a younger child of a reigning monarch is an upbringing particularly vulnerable to a certain sort of weird, potentially unhealthy attitude towards life. The eldest child, or eldest son, in a royal family is immensely privileged but also generally brought up knowing they have a purpose and responsibilities to their country and the rest of their family. The heir has something to work for. What about the rest of the children, though? It's fine to tell them they have responsibilities, too, but the harsh reality is, as time goes on, they become less and less vital to the institution that's been so central to their lives.

I've thought about the conundrum of younger children of monarchs lately myself. The conclusion I've come to is, harsh as it may sound, monarchs or the first in line should only have a couple of children at most. The reason for this is evident in my own country where QEII had 4 children - the younger children are stuck in a kind of no mans land of constant accusations of being 'hangers-on' or of using their royal connections if they try to go into business privately.

These 'spares' have a childhood of unimaginable luxury and special treatment because their parents are either on the throne or first in line. They get used to that lifestyle but as they get older, have children of their own and move further and further down the line of succession, how can they maintain that lifestyle? If we take the Danish CP couple as an example - is a King Frederik and the Danish taxpayer going to be able to support all 4 of his children in completing public engagements? Will he be able to buy or gift them country estates each? Will they each be given expensive security arrangements for life as children of the monarch? Or will they simply be expected to make their own living?

I can understand Christina's being used to a certain lifestyle; and that moving from living in palaces to living a life of much-reduced means must be jarring and difficult. I can also understand Inaki perhaps feeling under huge pressure to maintain his wife in the standard to which she had become accustomed. This was not the way to go about it. Rather a modest but honest life than one of multi-million euro homes and first class travel bought with money allegedly stolen from hard-working Spanish taxpayers.
 
EIIR, I completely agree with you...
But the point is, that I do not understand why Cristina behaved like this... Sometimes, in Spain, we hear things like our Royal Family have loads of money, but we really don't know, as everybody knows about Queen Beatrix' or Queen Elizabeth's fortunes... Our Royal family has always tried to be very discreet in these things and we've always seen them living as high society people with many privileges, of course, but not really clearly as multi-millionaires... And I think that's been really positive. If we knew, after what has happened last months that they are really so wealthy... well, I think the common Spanish people would be crazy...
I think Cristina would had been able to maintain a wealthy style of life according to her friends or family: I think about Alexia of Greece, Kubrat or Kyril of Bulgaria, their cousin, Maria Zurita... and other member of Spanish high society, these people that have been close to them all these years... They had no need to do what they did. And I say THEY, because I really think Cristina is also responsible. If she was not the King's daughter she had already been charged... Her irresponsability is difficult to understand for me...
 
I don't disagree, Kleio. One point I would make, though, is those former royals you mention (correct me if I'm wrong) have almost never actually experienced the life of the child of a reigning monarch with all the advantages that entails. They've more or less never known anything other than exile whereby their families had to fend for themselves.

Cristina has lived in palaces with servants and chefs, chauffeur driven cars, VIP treatment at all times. Some royal and former royals, along with aristocrats, have managed a certain standard of living; but it has to be earned somehow. No one's going to give Cristina the funds to enjoy the lifestyle of a royal just because of who she is. Cristina and Inaki's joint income presumably couldn't meet the costs of the life they wanted to live, so they allegedly broke the law to do so.
 
Don't this couple and their 4 children live in Washington, D. C. USA? Why do people think the Spanish Royal Family is being affected by this corruption? Did this corruption happen in Spain? If so, maybe that is why they're living in the U.S. now? Could someone explain it for me?
 
Alexey 1904 said:
Don't this couple and their 4 children live in Washington, D. C. USA? Why do people think the Spanish Royal Family is being affected by this corruption? Did this corruption happen in Spain? If so, maybe that is why they're living in the U.S. now? Could someone explain it for me?

No matter what the situation, I don't understand it fully myself, Inaki is a member of the royal family and has been for several years. What he does affects the family he represents.
 
I believe he acted all alone about as much as I believe Bernie Madoff did his swindle alone. Trader not making any trades. Come on. The Dutchess might have asked and was told she did not need to know. She knows what an allowance is and how far it goes.
 
I've thought about the conundrum of younger children of monarchs lately myself. The conclusion I've come to is, harsh as it may sound, monarchs or the first in line should only have a couple of children at most. The reason for this is evident in my own country where QEII had 4 children - the younger children are stuck in a kind of no mans land of constant accusations of being 'hangers-on' or of using their royal connections if they try to go into business privately.

These 'spares' have a childhood of unimaginable luxury and special treatment because their parents are either on the throne or first in line. They get used to that lifestyle but as they get older, have children of their own and move further and further down the line of succession, how can they maintain that lifestyle? If we take the Danish CP couple as an example - is a King Frederik and the Danish taxpayer going to be able to support all 4 of his children in completing public engagements? Will he be able to buy or gift them country estates each? Will they each be given expensive security arrangements for life as children of the monarch? Or will they simply be expected to make their own living?

I can understand Christina's being used to a certain lifestyle; and that moving from living in palaces to living a life of much-reduced means must be jarring and difficult. I can also understand Inaki perhaps feeling under huge pressure to maintain his wife in the standard to which she had become accustomed. This was not the way to go about it. Rather a modest but honest life than one of multi-million euro homes and first class travel bought with money allegedly stolen from hard-working Spanish taxpayers.

I don't think limiting family size is a factor that will make much difference. What I do think will happen is that there will be much less expectation within the royal families and within the countries they represent that the younger children will be working royals. None of the current youngish Crown Princely couples strike me as stupid or naive people - I doubt children like Princess Josephine of Denmark or Princess Ariane of The Netherlands will be raised with any expectation that they'll be supported with public money as adults. They'll just have to somehow make due with superior educations, wealthy parents and unparalleled connections with the global elite. ;)
 
None of the current youngish Crown Princely couples strike me as stupid or naive people - I doubt children like Princess Josephine of Denmark or Princess Ariane of The Netherlands will be raised with any expectation that they'll be supported with public money as adults. They'll just have to somehow make due with superior educations, wealthy parents and unparalleled connections with the global elite. ;)
BRILLIANT. I agree with you 100%. I believe that Mary, Letizia & Maxima [all coming from working backgrounds] will instill into their children the value of work ethic and good education plus explaining how lucky they are to be given the opportunity. To attend wonderful universities by working hard. To obtain any life style they want. Of course these children will have contacts that we all don't, but so what. They have been lucky to be born into a life like no other. How wonderful is that. I personally look forward to seeing what they make of themselves. I doubt they will be living on the backs of the taxpayers.
 
Sometimes, in Spain, we hear things like our Royal Family have loads of money, but we really don't know, as everybody knows about Queen Beatrix' or Queen Elizabeth's fortunes... Our Royal family has always tried to be very discreet in these things and we've always seen them living as high society people with many privileges, of course, but not really clearly as multi-millionaires... And I think that's been really positive. If we knew, after what has happened last months that they are really so wealthy... well, I think the common Spanish people would be crazy...

There is a reason for it, its rather a strategy than genuine. Its been said many times before, there are many dodgy surroundings JC coming to power and giving it back to the people, it was a one off szenario with many wealthy powers behind JC and we can be sure he and the family got their share of the cake and still do but god knows - or rather doesnt want to know - where the money has been or still is coming from. If JC hadnt been the shrewd guy he is, he never would have made onto the throne and, more importantly, stay there.

For that reason alone, the SRF have never flashed any wealth into their people's eyes but came across as demure, down to earth etc. It can be left to everyone's imagination how much of that attitude was or still is acting, and what is genuine.

Keeping this in mind, its not too difficult to understand the familys attitude towards Inaki, its not far from where they themselves are coming from in the past, so its almost logical to allow him to do business in the first place, to protect him and give him a golden job in the US instead of clarification, to still protect Cristina and others after the whole issue has blown up. And while the King is talking about "eveyone is equal in front of justice" in public, behind closed doors he is still giving protection to the culprits who are part of his own family.

One can only assume that the King must have a very good reason for his protection, because if whole issue would come to light, possibly more important people than Inaki or even Cristina would come into focus.

JC and the whole lot were never whiter than white as they tried to sell themselves but shrewd, at the same time intelligent enough so sell a different media image to the public.

I am sure the only thing they feel sorry about is that a family member got caught in such a spectacular fashion, because Inaki was stupid, greedy and bold enough to leave the proven path of demureness, thinking he was untouchable because of the past.
 
I think we would be hypocrites, but we thought that in many royal families there are cases of use of influence, which often become clogged. The news appearing in the British press about Prince Andrew are very shocking, but so far justice has not acted. The Countess of Wessex only was forced to leave her company, although it was shown that she had abused her position. Prince Laurent said in court, but came out pretty well when he could have been charged with misuse of public money. In the Netherlands, prince Bernard and the Lockheed scandal or the problems of Willem and Maxima, their multiple properties and the alleged use of tax havens.

And other cases of members of royal families who use their name in business, are involved in scandals, but in the end always come out unscathed. Probably, if all of them were politicians or ordinary citizens, have been investigated and in many cases tried ... and not only warned or temporarily removed from public activity.

Iñaki was too ambitious, made ​​things very stupid and was discovered indirectly because some of those who paid him were involved in major corruption cases. But justice is acting, and that's the most important.

The theme of the Royal Family, money and business, is more complex.

Spanish society has always been terribly sensitive to economic issues, own big property or shares in major companies is normal in other european monarchies and their societies accept it as normal, but in Spain it would be a difficult issue to treat. The fact that the laws do not legislate anything about it, makes it also more complicated.

Then there is the history of the Royal Family. Think of a Royal Family who was in exile repeatedly, who lost much of their fortune and property, they had to live far below the lifestyle they were accustomed, receiving "charity" or selling things. King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia are very marked by it. Having the need to make their small fortune, enabling them to live well and have a future if things go wrong again, it is not for them a distant hypothesis, but the real thing because they have already suffered what means to lose it.
 
EIIR, you're right when you say that the former Royals I've mentioned have not lived as Infanta Cristina: they have not been as much as her at the spotlight, but they have been part of her circle of friends and we've always seen the Infantas and Prince Felipe living more like this kind of high society people or however you want to call them... Anyway, Cristina has grown up knowing that she won't be always the king's daughter, one day she might be just the king's sister... and anyway, she will have a gifted life because she has been raised and educated to mantain this lifestyle and because, fortunately for her, I think a king's daughter will never be unemployed as almost four million of people in Spain are (many of them with superior studies...)

lula, I also agree with you except for one thing: it's true justice is acting, but not for everyone the same, as our king claimed... His daughter has not been called to declare, at least as a witness, when her name has been proved to be in the papers of Institute Noos as Secretary or whatever... So, she has clearly been protected. And with her, the whole Monarchy.

And I also agree with you that the History of our Royal Family in the last century is too complicated and it's important to know where our King and Queen come from to understand the whole thing... Both of their families have been in exile and, at least Juan Carlos, he had nothing when he arrived to Spain (well, of course he was the son of the one who was considered the king in exile by many people then...) The particular circumstances of his arrival to the throne make it very, very fragile and this is something that it's obvious Our King has in mind, that's why he put distance from the beginning from this scandal to try the monarchy not to be too afflicted. The same Felipe has done. That's why I haven't understood the stupidity we have seen later: Our King accepting a journey to hunt elephants in Botswana when our country is facing its most difficult moments in the last decades... (people make fun about it but I think it's better to see the hilarious part of it, otherwise I think it's a really big and serious mistake!!!!!)
 
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... because King & Queen have been through the process of wealth/property taken away from them (possibly wrongly in their opinion since they felt entitled) its easy to see why their tolerance (and the tolerance of their children or other family members) on getting it back or keeping it or gaining more wealth/property would be different - less ethical - to the average person.

Clearly, Inaki wouldnt have gotten anywhere without the support of the King.

And the fact that the King says one thing in public -as a necessity - but does the other in private (protection of Cristina) shows his true mindset regarding this whole issue.
 
I think the King did very well with his daughters, but failed to consider the role of his sons in law. His daughters are Infantas, and they sought for them suitable jobs, in social and cultural foundations and a good salary. I sometimes think that the King really did not considered the "in law" as members of the Royal Family, and thought that they did would not affect the institution, probably even his power or influence over them was much less. No one thought that the good Iñaki, would be so stupid and greedy. Probably if when he left the sport, Inaki had not commenced business (doing business, we must remember, through a nonprofit organization allegedly) and had a salaried position in a company, as he has in Telefonica, this had not happened.

The King and Queen have a very complicated role to find a balance between official and family responsibility. I have no clear what will happen with Cristina, and to what extent she can be protected or not... we shall see it in the future.
 
I think that the time is coming where she will not be protected, as more and more of this unravels. At first I thought Inaki would get a pass with a sweet plea deal - I no longer think that this is the case.
 
I have a "what if" question:
If Spain were not in the position it is now with its terrible economy and high unemployement rates, would this whole issue be pushed under the rug?
What do you think?
 
I have a "what if" question:
If Spain were not in the position it is now with its terrible economy and high unemployement rates, would this whole issue be pushed under the rug?
What do you think?
Of course it would and the Spanish people, living a much different monetary life, would just smile, nod their head and think "Rank Has It's Privileges". Been like that since the year of one. Now it is harder to sweep under the rug with modern media plus Spanish people are hurting financially. This entire situation [Inaki, Cristina, King] is offending the Spanish population. Shame. I do so feel sorry for the Queen, her DIL and all the grandchildren. What an immoral disaster all around.
 
I have a "what if" question:
If Spain were not in the position it is now with its terrible economy and high unemployement rates, would this whole issue be pushed under the rug?
What do you think?

It may not have gotten the same level of attention but the Spanish people are not fickle.Remember there is a strong Republican movement in Spain who would not have let this scandal be swept under the rug whether it was 2006 or 2012.
 
I have a "what if" question:
If Spain were not in the position it is now with its terrible economy and high unemployement rates, would this whole issue be pushed under the rug?
What do you think?


I don't really think so... This issue is serious enough as to be pushed under the rug... But probably, people would have felt less hurt and offended. In this financial and historical context we're living, the Monarchy has turned out damaged and terribly weakened. Just my opinion.
 
I think it's unrealistic to expect from any royal house, not just the SRF, not to take advantage of their positions even in the most transparent of circumstances. We all rely on a network of connections when we need to knock on professional doors.

Spain has always had a very strong social conscience. Nothing would make us react more than the injustice of "being taken advantage of" from those considered to be in the elite. We love our RF and see them as a modern institution bringing to the nation connections, stability and continuity. But we don't want crooks, and even less those "by association".

Inaki is being investigated by the judicial system in Spain, and both him and Cristina will pay for their illegal activities one way or another. Having said this, I also want to point out that when it comes to illegal royal activities, I think Spain is setting a benchmark how to deal judicially with the criminal conduct of some of their members, and setting them aside from public activities.
 
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