BARCELONA, April 23 — Spain’s Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the acquittal of Neymar and former Barcelona presidents over corruption allegations linked to the Brazilian forward’s 2013 transfer to the Catalan club.
BARCELONA, April 23 — Spain’s Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the acquittal of Neymar and former Barcelona presidents over corruption allegations linked to the Brazilian forward’s 2013 transfer to the Catalan club.
Brazilian investment firm DIS launched legal action in 2015, claiming it suffered financial losses from the transfer as it held a 40 per cent stake in Neymar’s sporting rights during his time as a young player at Santos FC.
DIS alleged that the true value of the deal had been concealed and that it was not informed of a 2011 exclusivity agreement between Neymar and Barcelona.
However, a Spanish court had already cleared all defendants in 2022, including Neymar, his parents, and former Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, of corruption and fraud charges following a high-profile trial. Santos, former club president Odilio Rodrigues Filho, and N&N — the company run by Neymar’s parents to manage his career — were also acquitted.
DIS later appealed the ruling, but the Supreme Court ruled that “the proven facts have revealed the inconsistency of the accusation.”
It added that “there was neither an offence of corruption in business dealings nor improper fraud, neither by the player, his representatives nor FC Barcelona.”
The court said the transfer was the result of a sporting decision by Barcelona, which aimed to secure Neymar’s signing early amid strong interest from rival clubs.
DIS had sought €35 million (RM162 million) in compensation, claiming it was deprived of its rightful share.
According to Barcelona, the transfer was valued at €57.1 million, with €40 million paid to N&N, €17.1 million to Santos, and €6.8 million allocated to DIS.
Prosecutors had originally sought a two-year jail sentence and a €10 million fine for Neymar, but later dropped all corruption and fraud charges.
Neymar, who has since returned to Santos, had also faced separate tax fraud allegations related to the same transfer, which were settled in 2016 when Barcelona agreed to pay a €5.5 million fine in an agreement with prosecutors. — AFP
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