The king’s son-in-law Iñaki Urdangarin, who is at the center of a corruption investigation, has informed the monarch of his intention to take up a job offer in Qatar, thus putting thousands of kilometers between him and the court in Mallorca where he, his former business partner and now his wife, Princess Cristina, are being probed by a judge for their alleged role in the Nóos fraud case.
Urdangarin, who has no official role after giving up his Washington-based job with Telefónica, is set to take up an as-yet unspecified position on the staff of Spanish handball coach Valero Rivera, who has been asked to take charge of the Qatari national team. Urdangarin and Rivera have been friends since the latter was coach of the FC Barcelona handball team in the 1990s, when Urdangarin was one of the club’s key players and an Olympic star for Spain.
Rivera has yet to agree terms with the Qatari sporting authorities, but he has already asked Urdangarin to form a part of his staff. Rivera, currently the coach of Spain’s national team with which he won the world championship in Barcelona earlier this year, has always defended Urdangarin from the accusations he faces, describing him as a “great friend” and criticizing the media for “condemning him before he is put on trial.”
Urdangarin is expected to travel to Doha in the coming days to negotiate his contract. Princess Cristina will stay in Spain with the couple’s children, at least until the end of the school year.
It is believed the duke will be allowed to travel abroad as the prosecutor in the Nóos case, Pedro Horrach, will not demand that he hand over his passport, despite his status as a suspect in the ongoing investigation.
In 1997 Urdangarin married Princess Cristina, taking the title of Duke of Palma. Now the investigation led by Judge José Castro has revealed that he and his partner at the non-profit Nóos Institute, Diego Torres, received fat contracts from the regional governments of the Balearic Islands and Valencia when organizing sports-related events and conferences, later allegedly pocketing the money via offshore accounts and front companies. In 2005 the duke and duchess bought a mansion in Barcelona worth 5.4 million euros. This property is now at the disposition of the Mallorca court after Urdangarin and Torres were unable to pay the 8.1 million-euro bond imposed on them by Judge Castro.
Last week the investigating judge took the step of targeting Princess Cristina as a formal suspect in the case, although the subpoena that demands she report to the Palma de Mallorca courthouse to declare has been suspended pending an appeal by Prosecutor Horrach in the case.
Vocabulary
Take up: to adopt the study, practice, or activity of: ( iniciar, empezar)
former: previous, first of the two mentioned (anterior)
probe: to search into or question closely (investigar)
alleged: supposed (presunto, supuesto)
give up : quit, resign from a job ( abandonar)
take charge of: take command or control of ( hacerse cargo de)
latter: mentioned second ( último mencionado)
currently: at present ( en este momento, actualmente)
prosecutor: fiscal, abogado de la acusación
hand over: give ( entregar)
ongoing investigation: in progress ( investigación en curso)
non-profit: not run to make money (no lucrativa, sin ánimo de lucro)
fat contracts: contratos jugosos
allegedly: said to be ( presuntamente, supuestamente)
pocket : to take surreptitiously or unlawfully; steal (embolsarse)
offshore: overseas; abroad (extranjero)
bond: bail ( fianza)
take the step: dar el paso, tomar la iniciativa
subpoena: a writ issued by a court of justice requiring a person to appear before the court at a specified time (citación)
pend : to await judgment / be unresolved or undecided (quedar pendiente)
appeal: to apply to a superior court to review (a case or particular issue decided by a lower tribunal) (apelar)
an application or resort to another person or authority, esp a higher one, as for a decision or confirmation of a decision (apelación)
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ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article, I think that Urdangarin shouldn't be able to leave Spain until he the case has been resolved. I believe that, he isn't found guilty, he could accept the job in Qatar, but if he is found guilty, he would have to pay back all the money he had stolen. In my view, this situation has made the monarchy seem dishonourable, because the Spanish people respect and trust the Royal Family and we don't expect them to take part in any illegal activities. I think that Urdangarin has taken advantage of his position as Duke of Palma and his status as a sportsman.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, he wouldn't accept the job in Qatar because he is accused to have stolen public money and for this reason, he would go to the jail.He is accused and he would have to stay in Spain. I think that in Spain the law is so softly with politicians and people who are accused of some crime. Politicians and people who has power recieve a special treatmen, but the normal people receive a harder treatment.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the first time that this type situation has occurred in Spain so I'm not really surprised by this news. I think that Spanish law protects important people accussed of stealing money. For example, poor people who steal food are send to jail whereas rich people are not punished in the same way. I think that the judge should stop Urdangarin from leaving the country because he should be treated like any suspect in a criminal case.
ReplyDeleteI think that Urdangarin wouldn't have to accept the job and go to live far from Palma until the investigation and the judgment have finished, because if he were a normal person the judge wouldn't allow him to go to another place, but as he is the king's son-in-law he can do whatever he wants, and this is unfair. All the spanish people have to recieve the same treatment whoever they are, and the behavior of Urdangarin wasn't correct and for that reason he has to pay for this.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a very good example of the fact that justice doesn't exist. I can't believe how a man who has apparently stolen millions of euros from Spain, a country which isn't indeed in it's best moment, can get a job so easily in other country, where (what a coincidence!) he won't be forced to leave if the judge says he's guilty. Apart from this, I'm sure Cristina has known all this from the beggining, because otherwise she would have split up with him for tricking her and all the royal family.
ReplyDeleteI share the same opinion as my classmates. I think that Iñaki Urdangarin shouldn't accept the job in Qatar because, like this, he would be fleeing from his probles. He has stolen a lot of money and he must be punish for it, at least, that is what I believe.
ReplyDeleteI think that the justice in Spain it's a fairy tale. The justice isn't the same for all of us, it depens on the money,in fact, all depends on the money. In a curt house maybe you are innocent, but you can pay a good lawyer and you are condemned and another person, who is gulity like Iñaki Urdangarin who can pay a good lawyer and has a good status, is paroled.
I think that this case should be finish as soon as possible.
I think that it is not fair that Urdangarin can go live in Qatar and accept a new job because at present he is being judge of a corruption investigation. This is unfair because if he weren’t known for being a member of the royal family, he couldn’t go to live to another place. Urdangarin shouldn’t receive an especial treatment and pay for everything what he has stolen for many years. Therefore this case is an example of the political injustices that exists nowadays in Spain.
ReplyDeleteThe justice in Spain is an authentic disaster!!! If I had stolen this quantity of money, today I would have been in prison for months or years. And I have a clear real example: There was a woman who stole some food, I think, to feed her children because she didn't have money to buy and, our justice, wanted to put her in prison. Finally, her neighbours and lots of Spaniards collected signatures to stop the sentence. They achieve it and she was punished doing works for the city. So, what will happen to Urdangarín? Would he get in prison? I can't know it because the spanish justice give us different surprises every day. What I have to say is that this couple made me a good impression, I thought that they were a good example of love and family for Spaniards, in spite of being Royal Family's members, but I was tricked... In few years, I think that I will see this couple spliting up and a royal abdication. Let's see what will happen with the Royal Family...
ReplyDeleteI think that Iñaki Urdangarín should regret of the problems in which he has involved the royal family and admit that he has stolen our money and return all to the spanish people. This gesture perhaps could be an example for all the other corrupt. I think that the Infanta Cristina knew that his husband had stolen, the evidences are quite clear. If the law is the same for all the spaniards, if people have a real legal equality Iñaki musn’t be permmited to go to Quatar.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, it's embarrassing that Urdangarin, who had robbed millions of euros, is free and with his passport, and some people who’d robbed a lot less than him are in prison. Where is the justice? He’s the king’s son-in-law but for the justice should be another person from thousands of them. In my view we shouldn’t permit he leaves the country, and it isn’t enough that he pay what he’d robbed, he must go to prison like the others. He is a thief.
ReplyDeleteI think Iñaki Urdangarin must give up all the jobs he has, because it is unfair that someone who has been in a ongoing investigation could work while other people couldn't. Moreover, it has damaged the image of the royal family.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I think that Iñaki Urdangarin has disappointed Spain and thus, the Royal Crown. And, although they are important, they should be charged like others. For this reason,I think that he shouldn't accept labor supply in Qatar of Valero Rivera, the coach of Spain’s national team and friend of Urdangarin. Also, leaving his family in Spain.
ReplyDeleteToday is 14th of April, the republic's day. It's evident that this thing that has happened with Urdangarin, this case, is deteriorating the monarchy's image and gives power to republicans to implement their sistem of government. I believe that Urdangarin shouldn't be able to go out of Spain since he hasn't compensated to citizens. He could do it doing social works, for example. Would be funny see this villain cleaning the city's streets.
ReplyDeleteThat is the situation on Spain: a rich person steal and he is not punished, but a poor person steal to eat and he is locked up for many years. Spain don't have justice. Spain is the country where the roost enrich themselves day to day thanks to the job of the folk, while the nation die of starve and search on dumpsters something to eat. I want to see the politics and the royal family wearing the same clothes day after day and searching delicacies on containers. In my opinion, this sistem must be destroyed and creat a new option to live where the folk doesn't be exploited.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletet's shameful the situation as Iñaki Urdangarin,the king's son in-law, has stolen money, a lot of money and he doesn't stay in jail. It should be done justice... In my view Urdangarin shouldn't leave of the country as he committed robbery and he should fulfill judgment. If have been an ordinary person who has commited the robbery he would be in prision. Please, do justice because this person is a thief!!!!
ReplyDeleteAs others say, it has been proved that justice in Spain is distressing. As always, in our country rich people are lucky and the poor have to pay for them. Depending on who you are your actions are judged without compassion and we can't accept it. It's not justice, for goodness sake! Urdangarin and his partner must give back the money they robbed. What's more, they must be judged as other Spanish man or woman who have stolen. If the prison is the punishment, go ahead!! Finally, I would like to use the same word as Alex has written: avarice. It's the only reason why they have stolen such amounts of money.
ReplyDeleteI think thaht Iñaki Urdangarin should not accept the job in Qatar. His court case isn't still resolved and it seems that he has taken advantage of his title and his wife to earn a lot of money. If normal people take away the passport, with Iñaki should not make an exception. Iñaki has to stay in Spain and return all the money thaht he has stolen from the citizens of the Autonomous Communities.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Urdangarin can look for a job but only if he will continue going to the tribunal. The best thing that he can do is accept that he had pocketed money with the non-profit Noos institute and comply with the sentence. After that he will can look to a job or whatever he wants to rebuild his life, perhaps a honest life training the Qatari national team. Resolve it fast Iñaki, four sons are difficult to feed!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all although Urdangarin is the son-in-law of the king of Spain,he must be punished if Spain is considered as a fair country. I'm agree with the arguments of my classmates. Moreover I think he must return all the money which has stolen with his wife, Princess Cristina and the others who are incriminated. Nowadays Spain is living a bad economic situation and they were being selfish. What's more perhaps he will be able to work in other country, I think he is very lucky.
ReplyDeleteIn my point of view Urdangarin can take the job who Valero Rivera offered too him as long as he come back to Mallorca when he have to go to the tribunal. Also I'm agree with my classmates who said that the justice on Spain must improve because if you have money or even influences you have a good advantadge over the other peple who face the justice.
ReplyDeleteFinally, I think that Urdangarin will accept the job and go to Qatar and the justice will pardon him after he pay an economic penalty so he will continue with his life far away of his problems.
I think that Urdangarin can accept the job, but He shouldn't do it because is unetical because his ongoing investigacion with the case Nóos. It's another case of injustice, the rich people have never punished, they always continue living without any punishment. This things are alarming but it is the real truth of the royal famili. The justice in Sapain should be improved quickli, I'm really desagree with the decicion to not to remove the passport to Uradangarin.
ReplyDeleteHe shouldn't accept the job because of his passport must be removed, it's so serious that a person who have stolen many million of Euros is informing the king of his intention to work in Qatar, HE must be in prison, not working, he's a thief, and because of people like him we're going down and down, that's ridiculously.
ReplyDeleteI believe that that the social clases are not equal and this marks a clear example.If a man committed petty theft, he would get a worst sentence than Urdagarin, the bankers do exactly the same thing and it's absolutely dreadful.
ReplyDeleteIn our society there is never equal treatment between the social clases, and this is a perfect example of it. A man who steals from a store gets a worst sentence than Urdangarin, it's the same thing as what the bankers have done and they are still getting millions in bonuses, it's disgustting the way the higher classes get away with it.
ReplyDelete