Spain's former king Juan Carlos not in Dominican Republic: Official

SANTO DOMINGO-Agence France-Presse

Spain's scandal-hit former king Juan Carlos, who announced he would head into exile, has not entered the Dominican Republic thus far, contrary to reports he had traveled there, an official said on Aug. 4.    

Several Spanish media outlets had reported that the 82-year-old former monarch had gone to the Caribbean country, where he planned to stay with friends.    

But a spokeswoman for the Dominican immigration service, Mariela Caamano, said he had not "entered the country's territory, contrary to certain statements indicating he has arrived early [on Aug. 4]."    

Caamano added that Juan Carlos was last in the Dominican Republic from February 28 to March 2 this year.    

The country's foreign ministry told AFP it had "no information" about Juan Carlos eventually spending time there.    

A Dominican television network, Canal de Noticias, said the former king was "preparing" to visit the country.    

The ex-king has been under a cloud since various media reported that he allegedly received funds from Saudi Arabia and probes are now under way in both Switzerland and Spain.    

The suspicions centre on $100 million (85 million euros) allegedly paid secretly into a Swiss bank account in 2008.