The Supreme Court has corrected the Provincial Court of Madrid by absolving Francisco Nicolás Gómez Iglesias, 30 years old and known as the “Little Nicolás,” of the crimes of usurpation of public functions and bribery for which he was convicted for impersonating an emissary of King Felipe VI and the then Vice President of the Government Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría during a trip to Ribadeo (Lugo). The Provincial Court had imposed a three-year prison sentence that has now been overturned by the high court, which has also acquitted the Local Police officer Jorge González, who had been convicted as an accomplice. The trip to Ribadeo, in August 2014, was the episode that raised the alarm about the “Little Nicolás.” The Provincial Court considered it proven that the young man arranged a meal with the president of the transport company Alsa, Jorge Cosmen, presenting himself as a “link” between the Royal House and the vice presidency of the Government. To give the appearance of reality, he arrived in Ribadeo with a convoy of vehicles that had left from Madrid and inside which Gómez Iglesias was traveling alongside two local police officers, who were also accused of cooperating with him to simulate surveillance and escort duties, although one of them was acquitted from the beginning. The Supreme Court acknowledges these facts but considers that they do not fit the two crimes that had been attributed to him.
Regarding the usurpation of functions, which was attributed to him for impersonating an envoy of La Moncloa and La Zarzuela, the court warns that, for there to be a crime, it is required that this conduct be repeated. And in the case of the “Little Nicolás,” the court points out, there was “a single act of impersonation,” which consisted of organizing and attending the meal with the businessman. “It was a meal without political or economic content that does not fit the concept of an official act and it was said to hold a non-existent position,” the judges conclude, adding that because it was “a single act of boasting,” it cannot be considered a crime. Regarding bribery, which the Provincial Court attributed to Gómez Iglesias for paying the Local Police officer to escort him on the trip, the Supreme Court maintains that “organizing an escort service unrelated to any public function is not constitutive of a crime,” although it opens the door to administrative responsibilities.
“This is the second final sentence on Gómez Iglesias, whom the high court confirmed in December 2023 a sentence of one year and nine months in prison for falsifying his ID card so that a friend could take the entrance exam in his name,” states the article. The Supreme Court’s decision overturns the previous conviction and acquits Gómez Iglesias and the Local Police officer. The court found that the actions did not meet the criteria for the crimes of usurpation of functions and bribery. It was determined that the actions were a one-time event and did not involve any official duties or affect the public interest. While Gómez Iglesias had been previously convicted for another offense, the Supreme Court’s ruling in this case was in favor of his acquittal.
In conclusion, the Supreme Court has absolved Francisco Nicolás Gómez Iglesias and the Local Police officer Jorge González of the charges brought against them in connection to the events that took place during a trip to Ribadeo in 2014. The high court found that the actions of Gómez Iglesias did not constitute the crimes of usurpation of functions and bribery as previously convicted by the Provincial Court. This decision marks a significant turn in the legal proceedings against the “Little Nicolás” and highlights the importance of clarifying the boundaries of criminal offenses related to impersonation and bribery. While Gómez Iglesias had previously been found guilty of falsifying his ID card in another case, the Supreme Court’s ruling in this instance favored his acquittal and overturned the previous conviction.
