Spain prosecutors recommend 2-year jail term for Brazil and Barcelona star Neymar for transfer fraud

Madrid: Spanish prosecutors recommended on Wednesday that Barcelona’s Brazilian star Neymar be handed a two-year jail sentence and a fine of 10 million euros ($10.6 million) over his allegedly fraudulent transfer to the club.

The striker is accused of, along with several accomplices, having concealed a portion of the cost of his multi-million-dollar transfer from Santos to Barca in 2013.

The fraud case against Brazilian superstar Neymar and his father was reopened in September following a successful appeal by Spanish prosecutors.

In July, a judge ruled that irregularities in the high-profile transfer were detected, but said it was an issue for a civil court, not a criminal court to settle.

However, prosecutors successfully argued the player and his father were aware of potentially fraudulent dealings between Barcelona and his former club Santos to the detriment of DIS, a Brazilian investment company who owned 40 percent of the player’s sporting rights at the time of the transfer.

Spain’s National Court “fully overturned” Judge Jose de la Mata’s decision in July, allowing the case to proceed.

Neymar, 24, his father (also Neymar), Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his predecessor Sandro Rosell were all called to testify in the case in February.

Barcelona in June agreed to pay a 5.5-million-euro ($6.2 million) fine in a deal with prosecutors that sees the club avoid trial on tax-evasion charges over the transfer.