Barcelona forward alleged to have evaded £10.5m in tax Judge days Neymar ‘is solely responsible for the income
declaration’
A Brazilian court has frozen assets of Barcelona star Neymar, his family and related businesses valued at 188.8m
Brazilian reals (£31.3m). The São Paulo federal court said on
Friday that the 23-year-old is alleged
to have evaded 63m reals (£10.5m)
in Brazil taxes between 2011 and
2013. He moved in 2013 from
Brazilian club Santos to Spain’s Barcelona. In a statement, Judge Carlos Muta
said that Neymar only declared assets worth 19.6m reals (£3.2m). The judge says Neymar “is solely
responsible for the income
declaration.” The Associated Press
reached Neymar’s agent, who
promised to comment later. A Brazilian judge has accused
Barcelona forward Neymar of tax
evasion and frozen 188.8m reais
(£31.3m) of his assets, authorities
said on Friday. Neymar is accused of not paying
63.3m reais (£10.5m) in taxes
between 2011 and 2013. The judge
froze three times that amount for
security reasons and to cover
potential interest and fines, according to a judicial order
explaining the seizure. The action covers property and
vehicles and is a preventive measure
to stop the player selling assets
before the case is settled. He will still
have access to bank accounts and
other liquid assets. Judge Carlos Muta accused the 23-
year-old of “omitting sources of
income from abroad”. Barcelona
Football Club was cited as the source
of unreported money. The frozen assets were in the name
of the Brazil player and three
companies in which he and his father
are the principal owners. Neymar’s
total assets were given as 244.2m
reais. Neymar joined the Spanish club in
June 2013 after a successful career at
Santos but his transfer has been a
source of controversy. Then Barcelona president Sandro
Rosell said Neymar cost €57.1m but
the deal was shrouded in secrecy. His successor Josep Maria Bartomeu
eventually admitted the total cost
came to €86.2m once additional
payments to the player and his family
had been included. Rosell resigned in January 2014 after a judge decided to investigate and
call him to testify in the case. A
Brazilian investment firm which
bought an interest in Neymar has
taken legal action against the player,
his father and Barcelona in a bid to secure a bigger slice of the transfer
fee.
www.theguardian.com/football/2015/sep/25/neymar-assets-frozen-brazil-court