February 17 – Brazilian authorities have frozen assets worth almost $50 million belonging to their Barcelona star Neymar over alleged tax evasion according to local media.
The striker’s personal yacht, jet, bank accounts, and properties in six Brazilian cities have been blocked over charges that he, his family and related businesses owe about $16m in taxes allegedly evaded from 2011 to 2013 when he was playing for Santos.
Authorities ordered that assets valued at three times the alleged evaded amount be frozen, in accordance with Brazilian law. He has denied any wrongdoing.
The 23-year-old Neymar reportedly used the jet to travel to Brazil for World Cup qualifying matches and holidays.
Prosecutors accuse him of setting up companies as fronts in order to pay a lower rate of tax but Iagaro Jung Martins, an auditor with Brazil’s federal tax agency, told The Associated Press that Neymar isn’t likely to go to jail if he pays what regulators say he owes.
“He can still appeal that decision, but it is a step forward,” Martins told the AP. “Nothing changed to what was in place last year: if he pays what he owes, the case is closed. Our legislation isn’t too harsh.”
The assets seizure is the latest in a spate of setbacks for Neymar off the pitch. He remains at the centre of an unrelated Spanish court case concerning allegations of tax evasion by Barcelona.
Neymar and his father were recently questioned for three hours in a Madrid court about the player’s transfer to Barca which maintains the deal cost them €57.1 million (then $74 million).
Santos officially received a payment of €17.1 million ($18.5 million), with the remaining €40 million ($55.5 million) going to a company owned by Neymar’s father. Investigations in Spain later showed that Barcelona spent nearly €83.3 million ($90 million) to acquire Neymar.
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