€1.7 Million Neymar Case Payment Puts Bartomeu Era Under Fresh Scrutiny
Former Barcelona legal chief Roman Gomez Ponti told a court that the club’s board during Josep Maria Bartomeu’s presidency was responsible for approving a €1.7 million payment to his lawyer, Jose Angel Gonzalez Franco. The payment was linked to the Neymar case settlement.
For the Barcelona legal department, the €1.7 million payment to lawyer Jose Angel Gonzalez Franco has become a major point of scrutiny in the Neymar case. Former Barcelona head of legal services Roman Gomez Ponti told an investigating judge that decisions over Gonzalez Franco’s remuneration were the responsibility of the club’s board during Josep Maria Bartomeu’s presidency. Gomez Ponti said his role was limited to offering an opinion on the matter.
The payment was connected to a 2016 settlement in which Barcelona admitted 2 tax offences linked to Neymar’s signing and agreed to pay a €5.5 million fine. Prosecutors allege Gonzalez Franco’s payment was made without prior board approval and that he was primarily representing Bartomeu rather than Barcelona. They also point to a potential conflict of interest. Gomez Ponti defended the fee, arguing that it represented 10% of the amount Barcelona would save through the settlement.
He also said emails showed Gonzalez Franco had taken part in negotiations. An AIG insurance broker representative told the court that Gonzalez Franco initially received €200,000 in May 2017 for Bartomeu’s legal representation. Further demands eventually pushed additional payments close to €1 million. Prosecutors allege Barcelona ultimately covered these costs after the insurer rejected them.
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