MALLORCA, Spain, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Princess Cristina, sister of Spain's King Felipe VI, was cleared of money laundering accusations by a Mallorca court Friday.
The High Court of Palma, on the resort island of Mallorca, upheld tax fraud charges against her while dropping the more serious case. While the state prosecutor has not concentrated on the tax fraud accusation, it is possible she could avoid a trial simply by paying alleged back taxes.
The princess, 49, has been entangled in a corruption case -- under investigation for three years -- involving her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, and his business associates. They are suspected of embezzlement, defrauding the government and similar crimes in allegedly securing overpriced sports contracts for a non-profit foundation Urdangarin operated. Cristina was accused of using funds for "strictly personal" spending in receiving untaxed dividends from Urdangarin's shell company while reducing the firm's taxable profits, court documents said.
The scandal coincides with several other political corruption cases in Spain, and after King Felipe's claim, in a proclamation speech after he ascended the throne in June, that he was part of "a renovated monarchy for a new time" in promising royal transparency and integrity.
The princess and her husband have denied wrongdoing.
