In 2013 Neymar moved to FC Barcelona. The transfer is the reason why the professional player has to go to court in October – and he’s not the only one.
Paris star Neymar faces court charges over possible irregularities in his transfer from Brazil to FC Barcelona in 2013. The trial is scheduled for October 17-31 in the Catalan metropolis. This is reported by the French news agency AFP, citing sources close to the court.
In addition to Neymar, who now plays for Paris St. Germain, former Barça presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu have to answer in court. They are accused of corruption and fraud.
Is there even a threat of jail?
According to media reports, the public prosecutor is to demand a two-year prison sentence for Neymar, who is also to pay a fine of ten million euros. Barça originally put the transfer value at 57.1 million euros (40 million for Neymar’s family, 17.1 for Santos), but later had to admit 83.3 million as the true figure.
The starting point of the proceedings is a lawsuit by the Brazilian investment fund DIS, which is said to have owned 40 percent of the rights to the player at the time of Neymar’s transfer from FC Santos to Spain. DIS had therefore sued Neymar, his father, those responsible for Barça and those from Santos.