Joan Laporta, the President of Barcelona, has been charged with alleged bribery in relation to referee payments. The charges involve payments made to companies associated with former vice-president of the refereeing committee, José María Enríquez Negreira, during Laporta’s first term as president from 2003 to 2010.
According to the Spanish news agency EFE, Laporta was not initially included as a defendant when charges were filed against Barcelona in September. However, the judge overseeing the case ruled on Wednesday that Laporta and his board of directors during the period of the payments should be added to the investigation, as it is considered a case of ongoing bribery.
The accused individuals listed in the case include former Barcelona presidents Josep María Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, as well as Negreira and his son, Javier Enríquez Romero. Between 2001 and 2018, Barcelona allegedly paid over €7 million to Negreira’s companies while he held the position of vice president of the refereeing committee.
