Money laundering: Rosell, ex-Barca president held without bail News

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Money laundering: Rosell, ex-Barca president held without bail

By Daily Sports on May 26, 2017

Former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell will remain in prison while being investigated for money laundering related to the sale of the Brazilian national football team's television rights after being denied bail on Thursday.

After hearing Rosell's testimony before Spain's National Court on Thursday, Judge Carmen Lamela Diaz considered, in a decision made public by the court, that Rosell posed a flight risk, could destroy evidence and posed a risk of reoffending if granted bail, in a decision made public by the court.

Rosell, 53, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion that he and former head of the Brazilian football federation (CBF), Ricardo Teixeira, who is not part of the investigation, siphoned off €15 million in illegal commissions from TV rights deals.

Rosell, his wife and three other accomplices who were also arrested on Tuesday, are accused of mounting a criminal organisation that "laundered money from illicit commissions" derived by Teixeira selling the rights to Brazil's matches.

One of the other accused Joan Besoli was also denied bail, however both men can appeal the decision.

The investigation is centred on a contract signed in 2006 to hand over the rights to 24 Brazil friendly matches to a company based in the Cayman Islands but tied to Saudi group Dallah Albaraka.

The contract states that whoever bought the rights would have to pay into funds controlled by Rosell and Teixeira.

In the court filing the judge suspects that Rosell received €6.58 million and Teixeira €8.393 million "without the knowledge of the CBF and to its detriment."

*Photo shows Sandro Rosell, former Barcelona president.

Source Daily Sports

Posted May 26, 2017