December 13 – A Spanish court has acquitted Brazilian superstar Neymar and other defendants in a fraud and corruption case relating to his 2013 transfer to Barcelona from Santos after prosecutors had dropped all charges in the high-profile trial.
Just days after Brazil were knocked out in the World Cup quarterfinals, Neymar received the best possible off-the-field news despite the complainant, Brazilian investment firm DIS, having initially sought a five-year jail term for the Paris St Germain forward, later reducing their demands to two-and-a-half years.
DIS had alleged that it was entitled to 40% of Neymar’s transfer fee but that it received far less. The company claims both Barca and Neymar joined forces to hide the real amount of the transfer.
DIS argued it had lost out on a cut from the transfer because its true value was understated. It accused Neymar, his father, and the former presidents of Santos and Barcelona of having intentionally avoided paying what it was due as the partial holder of Neymar’s player rights.
Prosecutors had initially sought a two-year jail term and a €10million fine for Neymar but in a surprise move they dropped charges against all the accused at the end of October.
The court was therefore asked to acquit all the defendants since there was “not the slightest hint of a crime”.
In a statement today, the court said “it has not been proven that there was a false contract or that DIS was intended to be harmed.”
The other defendants declared innocent were Neymar’s father, who goes by the same name, his mother, former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues and former Barcelona executives Sandro Rosell and Josep Bartomeu.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1736452637labto1736452637ofdlr1736452637owedi1736452637sni@w1736452637ahsra1736452637w.wer1736452637dna1736452637