The Spanish Public Prosecutor’s Office on Friday dropped all charges of corruption and fraud against Neymar over alleged irregularities surrounding the Brazilian footballer’s transfer to FC Barcelona in 2013, deeming it “suspicion” without “evidence”.
The 30-year-old Brazilian striker, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain, responded in court to alleged corruption and fraud in his transfer from Santos to FC Barcelona in 2013, as did his father and manager, Neymar da Silva.
The Public Prosecution Service withdrew “the charges against all the defendants and for all the facts” they are accused of, after initially demanding two years in prison and a fine of 10 million euros against the Brazilian footballer.
Prosecutor Luis Garcia’s justification for this decision is that the charges were “based not on evidence” but “on suspicion” and that the case fell under civil law rather than criminal law.
In a brief hearing on October 18 in a Barcelona court, Neymar stated that the documents he signed at the time had been made available by his father, who was in charge of his career, and that he simply signed what he asked for.
In addition to the two elements of the Neymar family, Sandro Rosell and Josep María Bartomeu, two former FC Barcelona presidents, and former Santos coach Odilio Rodrigues Filho, also saw the corruption charges dropped.
Friday’s decision by the Spanish Public Prosecutor’s Office marks a turning point in the process, as the Spanish judiciary initially demanded two years in prison and a €10 million fine against the Brazilian footballer.
The prosecution argued that the recruitment of Neymar cost a total of 83 million euros and not the 57 million that had been declared, while the rest was hidden in a combination between the then managers of FC Barcelona and Santos.
Brazilian investment company DIS, which owned 40 percent of the player’s economic rights when he played for Santos, took the case to court in 2015, claiming damages caused by the deal and asking for €35 million in damages. , the actual amount stated. should have received.
DIS “has a right to think that Neymar’s transfer would bring a greater advantage, but it came at the cost of jurisdiction,” prosecutor Luis Garcia said.
This reversal highlights the disagreements within the Spanish prosecutor’s office over this complex trial, which was originally investigated by prosecutors from Madrid and later sent to Barcelona.
Source: DN
