FC Barcelona faces a setback ahead of La Liga clash with Sevilla as the club has been charged with bribery in the ‘Negreira case’ by the court who were investigating the matter. Barcelona Court of Instruction Number One Judge argued that the 7.5 million euros were paid to the ex-Vice President of the Technical Committee of Referees, José María Enríquez Negreira.
The Catalan giants paid over 17 years to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira may constitute a crime. The club has been charged with bribery. As per the reports of El Debate, Josep Maria Bartomeu, Sandro Rosell, Negreira and his son have all been implicated.
The Supreme Court theory says, “A public official is considered to be anyone who, by immediate provision of the law, by election, or by appointment by a competent authority, participates in the exercise of public functions.” They have also reported the actual meaning of bribery in Spain in a legal sense.
Josep María Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell have also been charged in the bribery case alongside José María Enríquez Negreira and Javier Enríquez Romero (his son). The court adds that the Spanish club paid Negreira, with Aguirre arguing “The payments were made in response to the position he held.”
El Debate has added, “It is a criminal offence that does not require proof of the adulteration of specific parties and that contemplates more serious sentences than the crime of corruption between private individuals, that was attributed until now,”
Bribery is similar to corruption in Spain but it has more legal layers which may hurt the party who have been charged. Barcelona was being investigated for longer. No arrest is planned as per the police sources. There is also an added part is the Catalan giants asked for money or compensation for an unfair decision.
