FC Barcelona’s outgoing president and current presidential contender, faced the elephant in the room: a lawsuit filed against him and many board members at the Audiencia Nacional (a Spanish national court). El Periódico reports that the case accuses him and top officials of money laundering, shady commissions, overseas financial dealings, and tax evasion.
“Everything is opaque, suspicious, and nonsense of the highest order,” Laporta stated frankly, rejecting the charges as part of a long-running effort to discredit him and his campaign.
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The complaint charges Laporta, his brother Xavier, five board members, and three club executives, citing contracts with Barça Vision, New Era Visionary Group, Limak, Nike, and VIP seating arrangements. According to the lawsuit, these deals concealed illegitimate commissions funneled through companies in Spain, Cyprus, Croatia, Estonia, and Dubai.
The case came as Laporta is tipped as the heavy favorite to win the club leadership again. The former president claims the allegations are a ploy to destabilize his candidacy and, by extension, the club itself.
“There is an intention to damage us. We cannot make every contract public. Transparency has limitations dictated by the club’s strategy. Some materials may be detrimental to Barça or include secret information. Within such constraints, we are as transparent as possible. This is common in business,” Laporta explained, defending the club’s attitude.
Barcelona issued a statement calling the claims “implausible and detached from reality,”
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