Former Spanish King Reportedly Flees To Dominican Republic Amid Corruption Probe

There is confusion over the whereabouts of former Spanish King Juan Carlos amid a corruption probe into his business dealings.

According to the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, Carlos fled Monday from Portugal to the Dominican Republic and is spending the next few weeks there with a wealthy family. Another Spanish newspaper, El Confidencial, said Carlos is still in Portugal near the capital of Lisbon.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said he does not know the whereabouts of the former king.

Carlos had told his son King Felipe VI in a letter on Monday that he was planning to leave Spain.

“Guided by the conviction to perform the best service to the Spanish people, their institutions and you as King, I am communicating my thoughtful decision to move, at this time, outside of Spain,” Carlos said in the letter.

Spain’s Supreme Court launched an investigation in June into Carlos’ ties to a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia. A Swiss newspaper reported that Carlos received $100 million from the King of Saudi Arabia as part of the deal.

Carlos abdicated his throne in 2014 amid an embezzlement scandal involving his daughter and son-in-law. He was also criticized in 2012 for a costly elephant hunting trip to Botswana as the country dealt with an economic crisis.