The headquarters of French football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was raided by police on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, as part of an investigation into the transfer of Brazilian forward Neymar Jr. from Barcelona in 2017.
The raid was carried out by the Central Office for the Fight against Corruption and Tax Fraud (OCLCIFF) and the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI). The investigation is focused on allegations that PSG used “dirty tricks” to influence the outcome of the transfer, including paying off journalists and hacking into the emails of rival clubs.
The allegations were first made in a book published in 2018 by French journalist Romain Molina. Molina claimed that PSG had hired a private security firm to carry out a smear campaign against Neymar’s former club, Barcelona, and to pressure French tax authorities to give the player a favorable tax break.
PSG has denied all of the allegations. The club said in a statement that it “has always acted in a responsible and transparent manner” and that it “cooperates fully with the authorities in all their investigations.”
The investigation into the Neymar transfer is just one of several legal challenges facing PSG. The club is also being investigated by UEFA for financial fair play violations. In 2019, UEFA fined PSG €20 million for overspending on player transfers.
The latest raid on PSG’s headquarters is a further blow to the club’s reputation. It remains to be seen what, if any, sanctions will be imposed on PSG as a result of the investigation.
Le siège du PSG a été perquisitionné début février par les enquêteurs, a appris Le Monde. Cette opération intervient quelques semaines après la perquisition à Bercy sur le volet Neymar/Darmanin des ‘’barbouzeries’’ autour du psg et de son présidenthttps://t.co/4c5qxyk2Xq
— rémi dupré (@remidupre) February 22, 2024
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