Spanish authorities arrest Princess Cristina’s tax fraud accuser

MADRID — Spanish police on Friday arrested the leader of an anti-corruption group that brought criminal tax fraud charges against Princess Cristina amid allegations the group had asked for a big payoff to drop the case.

Miguel Bernad, leader of the Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) group, was taken into custody by financial crimes officers at his Madrid home, according to a Spanish police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A separate police statement said 11 people were arrested in an investigation focusing on whether Manos Limpios had filed charges in some cases only to withdraw them later in return for payoffs. The statement didn’t mention Cristina’s case and police and court officials declined to discuss whether it was part of the investigation.

But one of Cristina’s lawyers, Pau Molins, told the Antena 3 television station that Manos Limpios had asked for a “very significant amount of money” to withdraw the charges that the princess faces. He declined to provide further details.

The Manos Limpias lawyer questioning witnesses in Cristina’s case, Virginia Negrete, told reporters in Palma de Mallorca where the trial is underway that she had no information about Bernad’s arrest and was unaware of any alleged possible payoff for the withdrawal of charges against Cristina.

“I’ve never asked for money in my professional career in this case or in any other,” she said. “I have a clean conscience and very clean hands.”