The allegations of tax fraud against the former monarch came from, among others, several retired judges, philosophers, and journalists in Spain. The suspicions of extensive tax fraud were submitted to the court last year, after prosecutors had previously dropped three preliminary investigations into tax fraud.
The tax issues involve, among other things, cases where the ex-king received gifts from several countries around the Persian Gulf and private trips paid for by a foundation in Liechtenstein. Prosecutors said they had found cases of irregularities, but lacked sufficient evidence to proceed and that certain cases had become time-barred. The Supreme Court agreed with the prosecutors and stated that they "did not contain new facts, evidence, or documents that would justify a new trial".
The 87-year-old ex-king has previously paid over five million euros to Spanish tax authorities.
Juan Carlos was seen as a key figure when Spain chose a democratic path after dictator Francisco Franco's death in 1975. But shady economic deals have tarnished his reputation since he abdicated in 2014 and chose to go into exile in the United Arab Emirates in 2020.
