Former Barca president Bartomeu and others arrested for corruption charges
Spanish police, the Mossos d’Esquadra have raided Barcelona Camp Nou offices and made arrests in connection to Barçagate, an investigation into crimes of unfair administration and corruption among officials at the Spanish giant, and according to RAC1 there’s also talks of money laundering.
The Mossos arrested former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, CEO Oscar Grau, Román Gómez Punti, head of the club’s legal services and Jaume Masferrer, former adviser to the presidency.
The arrests are to clarify information about ‘Barçagate’, the discredit of different accounts on social networks to individuals and entities not related to the mandate of Josep Maria Bartomeu, according to the Cadena SER.
The police have cordoned off the accesses to the offices and have registered documents that the club has in search of more evidence for the investigation of the case with the company hired by Barça for the matter of social networks, I3 Ventures. A case that has had up to six extensions of summary secrecy, according to Diario Sports.
The Mossos entered the club’s finance, legal and compliance departments in search of evidence for unfair administration and corruption and more arrests are expected throughout the day.
Bartomeu and his cabinet stepped down in December after a vote of no confidence was passed amid growing crisis at the club. The presidential election which was earlier scheduled for January was postponed to March due to coronavirus restrictions.
