Rafael Spottorno

Rafael Spottorno Díaz-Caro (born 28 February 1945), is a Spanish diplomat, Private Secretary to the King between 2011 and 2014.[1] Since 2014, is involved in the corruption scandal named Tarjetas Black.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Spottorno and the second or maternal family name is Díaz-Caro.
Rafael Spottorno
Private Secretary to the King
In office
30 September 2011 – 24 June 2014
MonarchJuan Carlos I
Preceded byAlberto Aza Arias
Succeeded byJaime Alfonsín Alfonso
Secretary-General of His Majesty the King's Household
In office
1993–2002
MonarchJuan Carlos I
Preceded byJoel Cansino Gimeno
Succeeded byAlberto Aza Arias
Personal details
Born (1945-02-28) 28 February 1945
Madrid, Spain

Spottorno has a degree in Law and has been consul in Havana and Rio de Janeiro, cultural advisor of Spain in Brussels (1974-1977), director of Political Affairs of Eastern Europe (1979), permanent representative of Spain in the Council of the NATO (1982-1983) and representative at the UN (1986).[2] He was also the chief of staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Francisco Fernández Ordóñez and Javier Solana.[3]

On 20 September 2011, he was appointed as Private Secretary to King Juan Carlos I (Jefe de la Casa de Su Majestad el Rey, literally 'Chief of the Household of His Majesty the King') to replace Alberto Aza Arias; previously, he had served as Secretary-General of the Household of His Majesty the King from 1993 to 2002.[4]

On the private side, he has been director of the Caja Madrid Foundation, holding this position from September 2002 to March 2011.

In September 2014, his involvement in the use of illegal cards of Caja Madrid, known as the case of black cards, was discovered; before the trial began, he returned 11.953 euros when he spent 235,818 euros unduly.[5] He declared before Audiencia Nacional[6] on 5 October 2016.[7] On 7 October 2014, he resigned as private adviser to Felipe VI due to that scandal.[8] On 13 June 2017, he was imputed again after a judge decided to file the case. On 23 February 2017 he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and a fine of €4,200.[9]

References
  1. Jaime Alfonsín sustituirá mañana a Rafael Spottorno como jefe de la Casa del Rey (in Spanish)
  2. Rafael Spottorno será el nuevo jefe de la Casa del Rey (in Spanish)
  3. Rafael Spottorno se convierte en el nuevo jefe de la Casa del Rey (in Spanish)
  4. Aza deja la jefatura de la Casa del Rey (in Spanish)
  5. Los usuarios de las ‘black’ han devuelto 4,3 millones de los 12 que gastaron (in Spanish)
  6. La Audiencia reabre la causa contra Spottorno y 11 exdirectivos por las tarjetas 'black' (in Spanish)
  7. Entre insultos y abucheos, así entran en la Audiencia los acusados de Gürtel y las ‘black’ (in Spanish)
  8. Spottorno renuncia a ser consejero del Rey por el escándalo de las tarjetas (in Spanish)
  9. La Audiencia condena a seis años de prisión a Blesa y a cuatro años y medio a Rato por las tarjetas black (in Spanish)
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