yesterday 13:05
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A Spanish court has acquitted Brazilian footballer Neymar in a trial over alleged fraud in connection with his 2013 move from Santos to Barcelona.
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The court said in its statement on Tuesday that there was no evidence of contract forgery or that Brazilian investment firm DIS should be harmed.
Neymar and the other defendants were accused of deliberately concealing the cost of the transfer so as not to have to pay DIS what it was owed as partial rights holder of the player. Neymar’s father, former FC Barcelona presidents Josep Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, as well as Santos coach Odilio Rodrigues were among the accused.
DIS, which owns 40 per cent of the rights to Neymar, did not like the fact that when the Brazilian striker moved to Barcelona, the clubs allegedly withheld the true settlement amount.
According to official statements at the time, Santos received only 17.1 million euros for the transfer, but the lawsuit worked on the version that in reality the amount had risen to 82 million euros.
Therefore, the DIS objected that it had not received a real share of the settlement and suggested that Neymar be sentenced to up to five years, 34 million euros in compensation and total fines of up to 149 million.
