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Spanish prosecutors have dramatically dropped all fraud and corruption charges against Brazil forward Neymar.
In a surprise move, the prosecutor announced the ‘withdrawal of the charges against all the accused and for all the allegations’ they had faced.
They previously demanded a two-year prison term for the Brazilian star and the payment of a 10 million euros fine (£8.6million) over his transfer to Barcelona from Santos in 2013.
The case was brought by Brazilian investment firm DIS, which owned 40 per cent of the rights to Neymar when he was at Santos. DIS argues that it lost out on its rightful cut from the transfer because the true value was understated.
Neymar, 30, had said he did not remember if he took part in the negotiations which led to a 2011 agreement with Barcelona over his transfer two years later.
A source close to the Neymar family told Reuters that their legal representatives Baker Mckenzie would claim costs against the private prosecution for what they consider recklessness, acting in poor faith and for abuse of process.
Spanish prosecutors have dropped all fraud and corruption charges against Brazil forward Neymar (pictured outside court this month)
Pictured: Neymar leaves the Barcelona court with his mother Nadine Goncalves earlier this month
Josep Maria Bartomeu (pictured today, centre) was also accused of being involved in the conspiracy before charges were dropped
They will also reserve the right to claim for damages.
‘There is not the slightest hint of crime,’ prosecutor Luis Garcia Canton said after all defendants had testified in the trial in Barcelona, asking the judge for the ‘acquittal of all defendants’.
The prosecution had also sought a five-year jail term for former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell and an £7million fine for Barcelona.
At the start of the trial, DIS said it was demanding a five-year jail term for Neymar, and a total fine of £128million fine for the defendants.
The trial was the culmination of a years-long legal saga over Neymar’s 2013 move to Spain.
He later joined Qatar-owned PSG in a world record £190million transfer in 2017.
Neymar’s abrupt departure for PSG five years ago sparked a string of legal disputes (pictured playing on Tuesday)
Neymar – one of the sport’s most recognisable figure – was one of nine defendants on trial on corruption-related charges, among them his parents and their N&N company, which manages his affairs.
Investigators began probing the transfer after a 2015 complaint filed by DIS, a Brazilian company that owned 40 per cent of the player’s sporting rights when he was at Santos.
Barcelona said the transfer cost £49million, but prosecutors believe it was at least £71million.
The club said it paid £34million to N&N and £15million to Santos, of which £5.8million was given to DIS.
But DIS alleged that Neymar, Barcelona and the Brazilian club colluded to mask the true cost of the deal.
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Pictured: Spanish police officers are seen standing around Neymar as a fan takes a selfie, as he arrives at court in Barcelona on Tuesday
Among the other defendants were two former Barca presidents, Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, and ex-Santos boss Odilio Rodrigues Filho.
Earlier in the trial, Neymar told the court, ‘my father has always been in charge’ of contract negotiations.
He was asked whether he had participated in negotiations for a contract he signed in November 2011 while he was still at Brazilian boyhood club Santos, where he agreed to play for Barcelona – the club he moved to in 2013.
Neymar initially responded: ‘I don’t remember’ before adding in response to a second question from the state prosecutor about negotiations and contracts: ‘I didn’t participate. It was always my father who looked after that and was responsible for that. I sign what he tells me to.’
The footballer, who wore a dark blue suit with a matching tie over a white shirt, admitted: ‘I had offers from other clubs but my dream was always Barcelona. Real Madrid was one of the options but my heart was always for Barcelona.’
Neymar is pictured playing for Santos in 2011 when he was the most exciting young talent in world football
Neymar took the stand after Real Madrid president Florentino Perez was called as a witness and told the court the club offered 45 million Euros to sign the Brazilian International in 2011.
He insisted: ‘I don’t know Neymar, I’ve never spoken with him personally.
‘We were interested in signing Neymar about 10 years ago. Players go where they want. Neymar wanted to go to Barcelona and that’s why he went to Barcelona.’
Neymar’s abrupt departure for PSG five years ago sparked a string of legal disputes, with Barcelona withholding its contract extension bonus and suing the player for breach of contract, as Neymar countersued.
Both sides eventually reached an ‘amicable’ out-of-court settlement in 2021.
The footballer is having one of his best seasons since he joined PSG.
Last week, Neymar was accused by presidential candidate Lula da Silva of supporting his political rival Jair Bolsonaro in return for an income tax debt ‘pardon.’
The front runner is currently Lula after the first-round election on October 2. As it is expected to be a close contest, both sides have intensified their attacks. Pictured: Lula and Bolsonaro
Neymar endorsed Bolsonaro last month as the president fights to win reelection in his October 30 battle against ex-leftist leader Lula.
Speaking in a YouTube interview, Lula said of Neymar’s support for Bolsonaro: ‘Neymar has the right to choose whoever he wants to be president.
‘I think he is afraid that if I win the election I will find out what Bolsonaro pardoned from his income tax debt. ‘I think that’s why he’s afraid of me.’
The front runner is currently Lula, after the first-round election on October 2. As it is expected to be a close contest, both sides have intensified their attacks.
Lula said: ‘Obviously, Bolsonaro made a deal with (Neymar’s) father. He now has an income tax problem in Spain’, alluding to a favourable ruling that the player obtained in a tax evasion trial in Brazil.
