On Wednesday, Spain’s Supreme Court confirmed the acquittal of former Barcelona player Neymar, along with former club presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, on charges of fraud and corruption related to the 2013 transfer of the Brazilian star from his childhood club, Santos.
The Supreme Court’s Criminal Chamber dismissed the appeal against the 2022 decision by the Barcelona Provincial Court, which had previously concluded that no criminal activity occurred during the player’s transfer.
The court noted that the evidence showed “the inconsistency of the prosecution’s case.”
“The dealings were free from corruption, and there was no fraudulent behavior by the player, his representatives, or FC Barcelona,” the Supreme Court stated.
Prosecutors had sought a two-year prison sentence for Neymar along with a €10 million ($9.95m) fine in a case initiated by Brazilian investment firm DIS, which held 40% of Neymar’s rights while he was at Santos.
DIS claimed it missed out on its fair share from the transfer due to the undervaluation of the true transfer fee.
DIS received €6.8 million, equivalent to 40% of Neymar’s officially reported transfer fee of €17.1 million, but Barral contended that this amount was unrealistic given Neymar’s market value.