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Barca President to face tax evasion charges over Neymar deal

Xinhua, February 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

A Spanish judge on Monday asked for the President of FC Barcelona Josep Maria Bartomeu to be charged with an offense against the Treasury accused of defrauding 2.8 million euros related to the signing of Brazilian striker Neymar.

Judge Pablo Ruz, who is also investigating the long-running Gurtel scandal in which many member of Spain's ruling Popular Party are implicated, has also implicated former President Sandro Rosell and the club itself for irregularities in the purchase of Neymar in the summer of 2013.

Although Rosell, who was forced to resign a year ago as a result of the scandal, had originally stated the cost of the signing to be 57.1 million euros (around 65 million US dollars), it was later revealed the true cost of the operation was 94.8 million euros.

This money was spread over payments to Neymar's former club Santos, as well as to agents and representatives (among them Neymar's father) of the player.

Until now Bartomeu, who had been Rosell's Vice-President and stepped up to replace him when he was resigned, had remained on one side of the accusations.

At the start of January he decided to bring forward the elections for the club Presidency forward by a year to the end of the current season to help avoid further controversy and had announced he would stand as a candidate.

This latest development comes just as the team is producing its best football of the season and is a major setback for Bartomeu's election hopes, serving to make a return for Joan Laporta, who preceded Rosell as President, look all the more likely. Endite