Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will testify in the trial of former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell on charges of corruption and fraud in a deal to sign Brazilian star Neymar da Silva.
The Spanish newspaper AS has reported that the Real Madrid president will be one of 18 witnesses in the oral trial of the former Barcelona president starting on October 17, which involves the Brazilian Investment Fund and the Confederation of Professional Sports Syndicates. Brazil will take part.
#Deportes ¡Sera testigo! ????????
Florentino Pérez, president of Real Madrid, was introduced on 17 October 2013 when Neymar signed for Barcelona.
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Prosecutors were seeking 5 years in prison and a €10 million fine for the former Barcelona president for corruption and fraud in the Brazilian striker’s transfer deal, which also sought a two-year prison sentence and a €10 million fine. against him for committing a crime of corruption in the business sector.
The fund, until the transfer of the Brazilian star to Barcelona, owned 40% of his economic rights after an agreement reached with the player in 2009, according to which he was paid the equivalent of two million euros.
However, although Barcelona paid Santos 25.17 million for the player’s rights and another 60 million to N&N, a family business run by Neymar’s father, DIS only received 6.8 million, up from 40%.
The company is currently seeking €150 million in damages, with the player sentenced to five years in prison and Rosell and Bartomeu to eight years.
Similarly, the Confederation of Professional Athletes believes that its rights were violated in the alleged fraud between Barcelona and Santos.
In addition to Neymar, Russell and Bartomeu, the player’s father and mother are also charged, as the prosecution sought two years in prison and one year respectively for a corruption offense, and also required a three-year prison sentence for Santos’ former manager Odilio Rodriguez for committing fraud.
Also, three legal entities will be held liable for involvement in the case: FC Barcelona, FC Santos and (N&N) Consulting, for which the prosecutor’s office requires fines of 8.4, 7 and 1.44 million euros, respectively.
Neymar’s transfer has been under litigation for years, with many open fronts posing many legal and financial challenges for the Catalan club.
Source: “Agency”