FC Barcelona forward Neymar stands the risk of potentially serving a two-year prison sentence with regard to his controversial transfer from Santos to the Blaugrana in 2013
Judge Jose Perals among other Spanish prosecutors have sounded out Neymar in relation to corruption charges involved with his controversial transfer from Santos to Barcelona in the summer of 2013. The case has rumbled on for well over two years now, however the latest reports coming in from Spain state that the star forward could be standing the risk of serving a two-year prison sentence.
The court also called for charges against current Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartemeu to be dropped while bringing on Sandro Rosell, former occupant of the post, to face trial.
Rosell stepped down as club president in 2014 after his involvement in Neymar’s transfer saga and even testified in court early on this year along with the player, his representatives and Bartemeu.
The case was first brought to the fore from a complaint registered by DIS, a Brazilian investment group that owned 40% of the rights to Neymar’s transfer fees. The group alleged that the fee they incurred from the player’s move to the Blaugrana was less than they were entitled to.
Barcelona thought they had shut down the case once and for all back in June with a £4.7 million fine that’d have seen them avoid any trial on grounds of tax evasion surrounding the transfer. However, despite being archived during the summer, the ruling was successfully overturned in September hence allowing the ongoing court case to proceed.
Lionel Messi was slapped with a 21-month jail term early on this year for tax fraud and the Argentine has since appealed against the ruling citing the possibility of a potential overturn of the prison sentence.
