Decision reached in Neymar fraud case

Prosecutors in Spain have dropped all charges against Brazilian football star Neymar, after he and several others were accused of fraud and corruption involving his transfer to Barcelona from Santos in 2013.

The public prosecutor announced the decision to a court in Barcelona on Friday.

Prosecutors had previously called for a two-year prison sentence and €10 million ($9.95 million) fine for Neymar.

The footballer had faced allegations that his transfer to the Catalan capital from Brazil had been deliberately understated in a bid to swindle an investment firm, DIS, out of its share of the transfer fee.

Neymar had been on trial along with eight others in the case, including his parents and former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell, as well as representatives of Santos.

READ MORE: Neymar fraud trial begins in Barcelona

At the outset of the trial, DIS had demanded an even more stringent punishment of five years in prison for Neymar and fines totaling almost €150 million for the defendants.

After the decision to drop the case, sources told Reuters that the Neymar family would seek costs through legal company Baker McKenzie against the private prosecution, for what they believed was “recklessness” and “poor faith” in pursuing the case.

“There is not the slightest hint of crime,” Reuters quoted prosecutor Luis Garcia Canton as saying as he requested the acquittal of all the defendants. 

Neymar had appeared in court earlier this month when the case began.

The striker explained that he did not recall taking any personal part in the contract negotiations which saw him join Barcelona at the age of 21 as one of the brightest prospects in world football, instead trusting his father to handle the process. 

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The Brazilian star helped Barcelona to the Champions League title in 2015, later moving on to current club Paris Saint-Germain in a world record €222 million transfer in the summer of 2017.

The outcome of the trial will be a relief for Neymar, 30, as he prepares to play for Brazil at the World Cup in Qatar next month.