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Spain: Princess’ husband begins testifying in fraud case

FILE - In this Jan. 11, 2016 file photo, Spain's Princess Cristina leaves a makeshift courtroom on the first day of a corruption trial, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. A witness, Diego Torres, in the tax fraud trial of Spain’s Princess Cristina testified Thursday Feb. 25, 2016 that her royal status wasn’t used as a lure to land business deals for a nonprofit co-owned by her husband and allegedly used to embezzle millions in public contracts. Cristina’s husband Inaki Urdangarin was Torres’ business partner and had the title of Duke of Palma while they ran the institute. Cristina is the sister of King Felipe VI. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File) FILE - In this Jan. 11, 2016 file photo, Spain's Princess Cristina leaves a makeshift courtroom on the first day of a corruption trial, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. A witness, Diego Torres, in the tax fraud trial of Spain’s Princess Cristina testified Thursday Feb. 25, 2016 that her royal status wasn’t used as a lure to land business deals for a nonprofit co-owned by her husband and allegedly used to embezzle millions in public contracts. Cristina’s husband Inaki Urdangarin was Torres’ business partner and had the title of Duke of Palma while they ran the institute. Cristina is the sister of King Felipe VI. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)

By Associated Press February 26, 2016 1 min read

MADRID (AP) – Inaki Urdangarin, the husband of Spain’s Princess Cristina, has begun testifying in the tax and embezzlement trial the couple and 16 others are facing.

The case centers on accusations Urdangarin used his former title of Duke of Palma to embezzle about 6 million euros ($6.6 million) in public contracts for sporting events through a non-profit institute he co-ran.

Among the companies that allegedly benefited was Aizoon, a property consultancy firm he owned with Cristina, the sister of King Felipe VI.

Urdangarin began testifying Friday and faces a possible sentence of 20 years.

Cristina is charged with two counts of tax fraud and faces a possible eight-year sentence. She is expected to testify next week and is the first Spanish royal to face criminal charges since the monarchy’s restoration in 1975.