Brazil & PSG star Neymar acquitted in fraud case by Spanish court
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- Barcelona transfer investigated
- All charges dropped
- Neymar in the clear
WHAT HAPPENED? The Brazilian superstar has been acquitted of fraud and corruption charges by a Spanish court. Neymar and his fellow defendants, including his father and former Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, have all been cleared after charges were dropped by prosecutors in October.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The charges related to Neymar's move from Santos to Barcelona back in 2013 and were brought by Brazilian company DIS. The company had owned 40 per cent of Neymar's rights while he was at the Brazilian side and alleged they were owed a cut of his transfer to Barcelona. DIS had demanded a five-year jail sentence for Neymar and a fine of €149 million for the defendants.
WHAT THEY SAID: "It has not been proven that there was a false contract or that DIS was intended to be harmed," the court said in a brief statement.
IN A PHOTO:
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WHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR? The 30-year-old will take a break after Brazil's 2022 World Cup quarter-final loss to Croatia before returning to club side Paris Saint-Germain. The Ligue 1 champions are due back in competitive action on December 28 against Strasbourg.