Neymar, FC Barcelona, 3 Others to Stand Trial on Corruption Charges
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FC Barcelona player Neymar and his club will stand trial on corruption charges over his transfer from Brazilian team Santos FC, after losing a final appeal.
The case relates to a complaint from Brazilian investment group DIS, which owned 40 per cent of Neymar’s transfer rights.
It claims it received less money than it was entitled to when Neymar joined Barca from Santos for £49 million in 2013.
Santos FC, Neymar’s mother, and a company run by the 25-year-old footballer’s parents will also face charges.
“Santos FC, FC Barcelona, Neymar, his mother Nadine Goncalves and N&N, the family company, have lost their appeals to have charges of fraud and corruption dropped,” the Spanish High Court said in a statement on Monday.
Prosecutors are seeking a two-year prison sentence and a fine of nearly £8 million for Neymar.
However, even if the Brazil international wAS found guilty he would be unlikely to go to jail.
Under the Spanish legal system, prison terms of under two years are typically suspended.
