Spain’s former King Juan Carlos I has paid back his second tax bill after fleeing to the United Arab Emirates following his 2014 abdication in favor of his son Felipe VI amid fear of prosecution over a corruption scandal.
The payment of €4.4 million ($4.9 million) was confirmed by the former king’s lawyer on Friday, marking the second time in recent months that Juan Carlos has handed over money as part of a voluntary settlement to authorities. The latest figure was related to travel costs and expenses that were covered by a foundation of which he was a beneficiary.
Back in December, Juan Carlos agreed to make a payment of more than €678,000 to tax officials over allegations of illegal credit card transactions to avoid a criminal investigation being opened into his actions and potentially allowing him to return to Spain without concerns about being arrested.
Juan Carlos has been living in the United Arab Emirates following his decision to flee Spain in August 2020 after authorities linked him to an investigation into allegations of corruption during his reign. Although, he has claimed he would be willing to cooperate with prosecutors if asked.
The investigation has focused on the awarding of a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia, which saw Spanish companies secure a €6.7 billion ($8.12 billion) deal. Anti-corruption investigators have suggested that they believe Carlos might have kept some funds hidden in Switzerland from the agreement.
Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo said that the government was not able to speak about any specific cases related to citizens. However, he stated that “no one is allowed to break the law,” in remarks that were seen as targeted at the former monarch.
Juan Carlos has refused to comment on the allegations of corruption, as well as agreements with tax authorities, choosing only to confirm the settlements that have been paid through his lawyer.
King Felipe VI, who replaced his father in 2014, has also declined to comment on the ongoing reports of investigation and the recent developments related to Juan Carlos.
Like this story? Share it with a friend!
Spain’s former King Juan Carlos I has paid back his second tax bill after fleeing to the United Arab Emirates following his 2014 abdication in favor of his son Felipe VI amid fear of prosecution over a corruption scandal. Read Full Article at RT.com Read More
The former president lashes out at his successor for targeting MAGA supporters. Donald Trump brands Joe Biden an “enemy of the state,” lambasting the president for targeting his supporters. Donald Trump has labeled the US president an “enemy of the state,” claiming Joe Biden’s speech was the “most vicious, hateful and divisive ever delivered” by […]
Bakhmut remains one of the bloodiest battlefields in the Donbass. On the northwestern outskirts, Wagner units continue their assault in the villages of Paraskovievka and Krasnaya Gora. According to preliminary reports, Krasnaya Gora has almost completely come under Russian control. To the southwest of Bakhmut, Wagner fighters continue their assault in Ivanovskoye. Russian forces are […]
The world must urgently act to relieve the Yemeni people’s years-long suffering in the midst of what the UN previously described as the planet’s worst humanitarian crisis, but this will require difficult compromises on the side of each warring party and their international supporters (both military and political ones alike), though all stakeholders can hopefully […]
