Judge orders embezzlement trial for Spanish PM's wife

A judge investigating Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s wife Begona Gomez for alleged embezzlement has ordered that she face trial in a case roiling national politics, a court document showed on Wednesday.

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The long-running probe is one of several into Sanchez's family and former close allies that have embarrassed the Socialist leader and heaped pressure on his minority coalition.

The embezzlement investigation centers on whether an official employed in the premier's office, Cristina Alvarez, worked for Gomez during her past academic job at Madrid’s Complutense University at the expense of her public duties.

Judge Juan Carlos Peinado said in a ruling dated Tuesday that his preliminary investigation showed that a jury trial was warranted and summoned her to appear in court on Saturday.