According to Joaquin Aguirre, the judge presiding over Barcelona Court of Instruction Number One, the 7.5 million euros that Barcelona paid to former refereeing vice-president Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira over a span of 17 years may potentially constitute a criminal act. Discover Barcelona charged with bribery by the judge in the ‘Negreira Case’.
El Debate has reported that the judge formally accused Barcelona of engaging in bribery and implicated several individuals in influential positions within the club. Among those implicated are Josep Maria Bartomeu, Sandro Rosell, Negreira himself, and his son.
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Jurisprudence from the Supreme Court defines a public official as someone who participates in carrying out public duties through direct appointment by the law, election, or appointment by a competent authority.
Furthermore, El Confidencial has provided a legal explanation of what bribery entails in Spain. It is a criminal offense that does not necessitate evidence of specific parties and carries more severe penalties than corruption between private individuals, which was the previous charge against Barcelona.
Therefore, bribery carries more severe consequences than corruption, which was the initial accusation against Barcelona. While the club has already been charged, no arrests are currently planned, as per information from police sources.
If someone within the club can demonstrate that they solicited money or compensation in exchange for an unjust decision, this would establish a clear case of bribery. In this instance, it has already been that the club transferred over 7 million euros to the accounts of Negreira and his son for a series of unexplained services.
