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

[Danishla]

I was following the weekend event in court before the judge, I think I read at the end of the 22 hours there were 48 plus folios of documentation taken from the Duke's testimony. Are any of these documents made public?

[Emmily]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Inaki Urdangarin, the son-in-law of King Juan Carlos of Spain, who is embroiled in a corruption scandal admitted that he defied orders from the King himself to stop his business dealings.

Son-in-law of King Juan Carlos of Spain admits he defied orders in corruption trial - Telegraph

This certainly doesn't help Inaki or put him in a positive light. What impression does it give the King? It seems positive, to me, but I wonder what others think?

[Breffney]

Originally Posted by Emmily

This certainly doesn't help Inaki or put him in a positive light. What impression does it give the King? It seems positive, to me, but I wonder what others think?

I, too, think it puts Juan Carlos in a good light.

What I want to know now is - was Inaki asked at the interrogation "why" he defied Juan Carlos' order to stop these business dealings. ?

[Stefanie]

Slowly I start to worry a little bit whether the King himself might become involved more and more into the case: Looks to me as if he knew beforehand that something was "wrong", managed to get Inaki out of danger by sending him into the U.S. and now Inaki seems to try to accuse his own father-in-law....
As Duke of Marmalade said: "Why did the King in his Christmas-speech let the fact be that someone isn´t guilty until he´s proven guilty..."

[NGalitzine]

Originally Posted by Stefanie

As Duke of Marmalade said: "Why did the King in his Christmas-speech let the fact be that someone isn´t guilty until he´s proven guilty..."

Isn't that just a basic principle of law....innocent until proven guilty?

[Stefanie]

Sorry, I wrote it wrong: He (the King in his Christmasspeech) DIDN´t say that, but explained that people who are criminal should be punished no matter whether they belong to the royal family or have other "connections". And Duke therefore suggested that he on occasion of the Christmas speech knew already that Inaki had a lot to answer for....

[EIIR]

Originally Posted by Stefanie

Slowly I start to worry a little bit whether the King himself might become involved more and more into the case: Looks to me as if he knew beforehand that something was "wrong", managed to get Inaki out of danger by sending him into the U.S. and now Inaki seems to try to accuse his own father-in-law....
As Duke of Marmalade said: "Why did the King in his Christmas-speech let the fact be that someone isn´t guilty until he´s proven guilty..."

These are exactly my thoughts. If the King had a strong enough suspicion that Inaki was up to something he should not have been, then surely the proper course of action was to report those suspicions to the authorities and provide them with whatever information he had that was making him so concerned. And he clearly had suspicions, otherwise he would not have sent Inaki away, knowing it would mean seeing much less of his daughter and grandchildren.

The King must have see or been told something very damaging about this situation, and he chose to try and make it go away, allegedly using contacts to get Inaki a big job and a position outside Spain. That's all understandable, we all want to protect our families, but is it the way a King should behave?

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by EIIR

These are exactly my thoughts. If the King had a strong enough suspicion that Inaki was up to something he should not have been, then surely the proper course of action was to report those suspicions to the authorities and provide them with whatever information he had that was making him so concerned. And he clearly had suspicions, otherwise he would not have sent Inaki away, knowing it would mean seeing much less of his daughter and grandchildren.

I think its a bit much to ask to call in the police to investigate the SIL, even more so when there are "only" strong suspicions (and those not known to the public) without any knowledge if these suspicions would lead to a conviction in court. In case it wont, the King would have looked like a moron turning on his own family, in the end without a result. He will have thought Let sleeping dogs lie!

I think the King wanted Inaki out of Spain, got him a good & proper job and prayed every night that the whole issue wouldnt blow up in his face one day. I doubt the King knew the whole extent of Inakis wrongdoings, C&I may have assured him that there was nothing, really. In the end, he may have expected some rumours or gossip, but not an official indiction, leading to a cut off from official duty for C&I.

Very often people are only wise after an event, I guess this goes for the King (and the rest of the family) on this occasion too.

[maria-olivia]

Do you think the King ask to «*telefonica?) Washington to take Inaki for a job so in his mind Inaki and his family will be out from Spain? (Let sleeping dogs lie ! funny in french in is different animal)
How could they lie and smile for years

No reaction from the King either when they bought their expensive House they could not pay by themselves.

This is a very bad situation for the Monarchy in Spain no body will trust them anymore.

[EIIR]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

I think its a bit much to ask to call in the police to investigate the SIL, even more so when there are "only" strong suspicions (and those not known to the public) without any knowledge if these suspicions would lead to a conviction in court. In case it wont, the King would have looked like a moron turning on his own family, in the end without a result. He will have thought Let sleeping dogs lie!

I think the King wanted Inaki out of Spain, got him a good & proper job and prayed every night that the whole issue wouldnt blow up in his face one day. I doubt the King knew the whole extent of Inakis wrongdoings, C&I may have assured him that there was nothing, really. In the end, he may have expected some rumours or gossip, but not an official indiction, leading to a cut off from official duty for C&I.

Very often people are only wise after an event, I guess this goes for the King (and the rest of the family) on this occasion too.

I understand what you're saying, and on the temptation to let sleeping dogs continue to snooze. But, Juan Calos is not just any father in law - he's King. His first and ultimate duty is to the Spanish people. Given that these charges involved the fraudulent use of public money, I think this looks very, very bad for JC. He stuck his head in the sand, which is not the way a true leader operates.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by maria-olivia

Do you think the King ask to «*telefonica?) Washington to take Inaki for a job so in his mind Inaki and his family will be out from Spain?

YES. I dont have a source but I think I recall that Telefonica kind of confirmed that Inaki was "placed" there by the King.

Telefonica and SRF have close "business" relations, Letizia & both infantas are godmothers to some ships (sailing sponsorship).

Its not unusual for a 2nd line royal to be "placed" somewhere (Jaime was "placed" too) but in Inaki's case it came too late, the King should have not allowed Inaki doing any business by himself but gotten him a job from the very start.

[marine2109]

The judge rejected the subpoena of the Infanta Cristina as alleged in Nóos

El juez rechaza la citación de la infanta Cristina como imputada en Nóos | Realeza | Noticias hola.com

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[Alondra]

I

Originally Posted by EIIR

I understand what you're saying, and on the temptation to let sleeping dogs continue to snooze. But, Juan Calos is not just any father in law - he's King. His first and ultimate duty is to the Spanish people. Given that these charges involved the fraudulent use of public money, I think this looks very, very bad for JC. He stuck his head in the sand, which is not the way a true leawer operates.

I agree with you 100% that JC's duty is first and foremost to Spain and not his family. Where I disagree with you is that he knew IN FULL and in COMPLETE DETAIL what Iñaki was involved in. After Iñaki's interrogation I think it has become a bit clearer that most of what JC knew was that his son in law was involved in a private company receiving public funds - something that's completely taboo for the members of Spanish RF. It was then that JC ordered Inaki to leave Spain setting him up in Washington - in fact, and during the interrogation, Inaki confirmed he disobeyed JC and continued having dealings with Noos behind his back.

I think JC has only made one big mistake in this whole saga - protecting his daugther from being called to give testimony to the court. Besides this "small" detail, I think most Spaniards get that he did his best to stop Iñaki now that the initial knee jerk reaction to this affair is finally replaced by a more pragmatic thinking.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Obviously there are strong (or rather dubious?) ties between King Juan Carlos and Telefonica boss Cesar Alierta.
According to these articles, Inaki wasnt only "placed" by casareal at Telefonica, but they also pay for housing in Washington for the Urdangarin-Bourbon family, private trips to Spain and the college of their children, a huge (and unusually high for expads) amount of money.
Furthermore, Telefonica will support Inaki's defence strategy.

Telefonica has remained silent on the issue but have come under increased pressure from Telefonica shareholders who arent supposed to pay for such a "straw" job.
Los silencios de Telefónica sobre Urdangarin - Estrella Digital
Urdangarín contactó con el equipo de César Alierta para establecer su defensa - Estrella Digital

Its amazing what this case brings to light, only confirming that the clean white record the SRF had been working so hard for is nothing but a sham. JC has always been shrewd but managed to do his dubious business behind closed doors / without being exposed, in order to stay in power. Until Inaki came along. Finally its clear that they are no better than others, only some very good actors.

[Kleio]

I think JC has only made one big mistake in this whole saga - protecting his daugther from being called to give testimony to the court. Besides this "small" detail, I think most Spaniards get that he did his best to stop Iñaki now that the initial knee jerk reaction to this affair is finally replaced by a more pragmatic thinking.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you. I think Infanta Cristina has been clearly protected from being called to declare. Iñaki has denied any implication of the Infanta in these business. So, if we have to believe Iñaki's words, we have to think that the Infanta never suspected about anything when they bought a very expensive house and they were earning those enormous amounts of money. Cristina seemed to live in another planet and she never suspected about anything (and being a partner in the business...) Sure! I heard on TV that Iñaki declared that also two of his sons were "partners" of one of the companies (something simbolic, obviously, just because he was very happy just making his dream of a "family business" come true...)

As a Spaniard, my opinion is that most of us think that Juan Carlos made the only thing he could do: to tell his son-in-law to stop making business with public funds and to sent him away... He simply tried to hid or ignore what he did and pray that what is happening now never would happen... I also think in any other country, if a Royal had a problem like this, and I am talking about Infanta Cristina now, she would have lost her rights in the line to the throne immediately...

[Kleio]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Its amazing what this case brings to light, only confirming that the clean white record the SRF had been working so hard for is nothing but a sham. JC has always been shrewd but managed to do his dubious business behind closed doors / without being exposed, in order to stay in power. Until Inaki came along. Finally its clear that they are no better than others, only some very good actors.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you... I think the image that King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia have tried to construct over the years, it's at least in danger now...
In Spain, we've heard rumours (and you know, most of rumors are false), but we've heard that specially King Juan Carlos and Prince Felipe were really angry with Iñaki because of this. Juan Carlos has already a reputation but Felipe still has to win it and his brother-in-law's actions have put him (together with the whole SRF) in a very difficult place.

[donnaK]

La Casa del Rey ya advirti en 2005 a Iaki Urdangarn - ABC.es

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The King's house already warned Inaki in 2005. The article mentioned the 1st meeting between Zarzuela (the communication director) and Inaki was between July - Sept 2005 (around Irene's baptism). The biggest mistake JC made was allowing Inaki doing business, he knew that, when Elena started her financial consulting company after the divorce, he immediately shut it down. Inaki loves doing business, but marrying Infanta is not only personal gains, also sacrifice too.

[donnaK]

Originally Posted by grevinnan

Is there an assumption that he is lying and his business partners are telling the truth?

Apparently the judge thought he (Inaki) was lying.

El juez apunta en su último auto que Urdangarin y Torres estaban "al mismo" nivel en Nòos - RTVE.es

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[An Ard Ri]

Is Don Inaki expected back in Spain anytime soon to give more evidence?

[Patra]

How long is this investigation expected to last?