By segun oniyide
A Spanish court has charged Spanish league champions Barcelona with tax fraud of €9.1m over the transfer of Brazil forward Neymar.
Judge Pablo Ruz stated there was enough evidence to merit charges over Neymar’s €57m move from Santos last summer.
“The economic quantities paid by FC Barcelona to Santos for the sporting rights of the player and paid to other entities associated to the player means the player could have profited from the dealand should be taxed on that income,” the statement from the Madrid court read.
“Contracts between the signatories of the agreement may have been simulated, which would contradict the actual cause and purpose to the commitments and obligations set forth in these documents regarding the economic and formal aspects of the signed contracts.”
The decision comes a day after public prosecutor Jose Perals charged Barcelona with fabricating contracts and using “financial engineering” to defraud the Spanish Treasury.
Rosell quit soon after it emerged €40m of the transfer was paid to a firm operated by Neymar’s father, who has been called on to present documentation.
Barcelona has denied the charges, while Neymar took to social media before the judge’s decision to vent about the situation his family finds itself in.
