Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has been summoned by a Madrid judge over accusations that she filed a false police report. The case began after Vito Zoppellari Quiles, a far-right activist, accused Gómez of wrongly reporting him for assault during an argument at a restaurant in Las Rozas in April.
If convicted of making a false accusation, Gómez could face six months to two years in prison, depending on the court’s decision. Gómez and Quiles have both been summoned to testify on October 23 in Majadahonda, where they will appear as defendant and complainant. The case has drawn national attention and added to ongoing political tensions.
The dispute centers on an incident on April 19. Gómez, who was with a man and two friends, was approached by Quiles inside the restaurant. Information from sources from La Moncloa, Quiles confronted Gómez and filmed her while pressing her about her public role. He also blocked her exit. Gómez’s complaint described Quiles as invading her personal space and preventing her from leaving. After reviewing video footage, but, the court found no evidence of aggression or that Gómez was blocked from leaving. The judge concluded that Gómez was able to exit the restaurant without interference.
Judge Sergio Burguillo reviewed the video evidence in late May and found no proof of physical aggression or that Quiles blocked Gómez’s path. Quiles did approach and question her, but the footage showed Gómez leaving the restaurant immediately, with no physical contact. The judge dismissed Gómez’s complaint on May 30, 2026, stating that the evidence did not support criminal charges against Quiles, El Mundo reported. That allowed Quiles to file a counter-complaint, accusing Gómez of knowingly making a false report. Under Spanish law, such a charge can proceed only after the original case is closed.
After the initial case was dismissed, Quiles quickly filed his own complaint. Both Gómez and the public prosecutor have appealed the dismissal, and the Provincial Court is set to review the matter next week. Information from Libertad Digital, the court has requested Gómez’s prior criminal record and the full file from the previous proceedings. That step usually means the judge is considering whether there is enough evidence to move forward with the false-report case.
In a separate high-profile investigation into Gómez’s role at the Universidad Complutense, Spanish prosecutors have recently requested the acquittal of Gómez and her associates, saying no criminal conduct was found, Ground News reported.
Quiles has been involved in several legal disputes in recent months. He is under investigation over the alleged misuse of charitable donations. Renfe has filed a fraud complaint over his use of train ticketing rules, while consumer rights advocate Rubén Sánchez has brought ongoing defamation and hate-speech cases against him. Earlier this summer, a judge ordered Quiles’s detention for spreading false information about a public employee. RTVE and El Plural have reported that Quiles’s confrontational style has led to further sanctions and debate about his conduct in public spaces, adding to the political sensitivity of the current proceedings.
The legal dispute between Gómez and Quiles comes as Spain’s courts face scrutiny over their handling of high-profile political cases. The rapid escalation from a restaurant argument to a criminal summons for the prime minister’s wife highlights the pressures of public life at the top. Meanwhile, other recent developments, including changes in mortgage conditions affecting thousands of households, reflect a broader climate of legal and financial uncertainty in Spain.
