Spanish prosecutors have filed a grievance in opposition to Barcelona and two of the La Liga membership’s former presidents over alleged bills to an organization owned by means of a senior refereeing legit to steer effects, the general public prosecutor’s place of business stated on Friday. A pass judgement on has but to make a decision whether or not to soak up the case.
The membership allegedly paid greater than €7.3m between 2001 and 2018 to companies owned by means of José María Enríquez Negreira, who was once vice-president of the refereeing committee of the Spanish soccer affiliation from 1993–2018.
Prosecutors declare that underneath a secret settlement and “in exchange for money”, Negreira liked Barcelona “in the decisions taken by referees in the games played by the club, as well as in the results of the competitions”.
Barcelona didn’t straight away reply to a request for remark. The membership denied wrongdoing in a commentary final month, announcing they’d merely paid an exterior guide that provided them with “technical reports related to professional refereeing”, calling it “a common practice among professional football clubs”.
The grievance specializes in the €2.9m paid between 2014 and 2018 and alleges that Barcelona – with the assistance of their former presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu – reached a “confidential verbal agreement” with Negreira.
It accuses the membership, Rosell, Bartomeu, Negreira and two different former Barcelona officers of corruption in sports activities, unfair management and falsehood in mercantile paperwork.
The investigation was once precipitated by means of a tax inspection. Negreira instructed the Spanish tax company that Barcelona’s purpose with the bills was once to have “neutral” referees of their video games, consistent with El País newspaper.