The 2022 Qatar World Cup is about to begin, Brazilian soccer star Neymar appeared in court in Spain on the 17th for suspected fraud in his transfer to La Liga powerhouse FC Barcelona nearly 10 years ago.
The France-Presse agency reported that 30-year-old Neymar, wearing sunglasses and a dark suit, appeared at the Barcelona provincial court with his parents around 9:45 am local time and greeted the media.
The high-profile trial follows Neymar’s alleged underestimation of a transfer stake when he moved from the mighty Brazilian Santos to Barcelona in 2013. The case has been contentious for years.
Neymar then moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), which is owned by the Qatar consortium, for a world record of € 222 million in 2017.
Neymar is one of nine defendants, along with his parents and N&N, the family business that runs his business, for fraud. Neymar and his parents are accused of commercial fraud.
Other defendants include two former Barcelona presidents, Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, and former Santos boss Odilio Rodrigues Filho.
While Neymar was still under Santos, Brazilian investment group DIS acquired the rights to 40% of its transfer fee. The DIS dismissed the case in 2015, and investigators began looking into the actual amount of the money transfer that year.
Barcelona requested a transfer fee of € 57.1 million and said they paid € 40 million to N&N and € 17.1 million to Santos, of which € 6.8 million went to DIS.
However, prosecutors believe the transfer money should be at least 83 million euros. The DIS accuses Neymar, Barca and Santos of conspiracy and withholding the true amount.
Neymar’s lawyers have asserted his innocence, arguing that the € 40 million is “a normal legal signing bonus in the football market”.
The lawyer in charge also believes that the Spanish judicial authorities have no jurisdiction over the case, because he is a Brazilian citizen and the crime took place in Brazil.
Neymar scored the winning goal against Marseille in Saint-Germain yesterday before appearing in court. He is expected to testify on the 21st or the 28th and it is unclear if he will have to be there in person. The trial is expected to end on the 31st.
Neymar faces two years in prison and a fine of up to 10 million euros if found guilty.
Neymar is expected to represent Brazil at the Qatar World Cup, seeking Brazil’s first and sixth Champions League since 2002. He will lead Brazil in the opening match of Group G against Serbia on 24 November.
Responsible editor: Yu Weining
