Barcelona Forward Neymar, Called To Appear In Court Over Fraud Case

Along with Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro
Rosell, the Barcelona and Brazil forward has
been summoned to court in February in relation
to his 2013 transfer
Neymar has been ordered to appear in court
next month as the transfer which took him from
Santos to Barcelona remains in the spotlight.
Judge Jose de la Mata has requested his
presence on February 2 to face fraud and
corruption charges relating to the 2013 move.
Current Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu
will also appear in court, albeit one day earlier
than Neymar, as will the Catalan club's former
president Sandro Rosell, who stepped down from
his role over the transfer.
Proceedings centre on claims from Brazilian
investment fund DIS that they should have
received a higher portion of the original fee than
they did.
DIS had a 40 percent stake in Neymar's sporting
rights when he was a Santos player and allege
they did not receive their fair share of the deal.
A previous court investigation revealed Barca
paid €83 million for the 23-year-old – the club
had initially announced it as much less – but
DIS only received 40 percent of €17 million.
In an interview with SPORT at the end of last
year, Neymar's father explained the family are
''suffering from huge insecurity'' because of the
off-the-pitch problems.
Neymar is currently in talks with the club over a
new deal, but Neymar Sr. says he needs
''judicial security'' before committing to a new
deal.