Spanish police have today (Tuesday) arrested Sandro Rosell, former president of LaLiga football club Barcelona, in connection to an investigation regarding his business activities in Brazil.
The Associated Press and Reuters news agencies, along with Spanish newspapers El Confidencial and El Mundo, said the detentions are part of a money laundering probe related to acquiring television rights for past matches of the Brazilian national football team.
Three other people have been detained, according to the AP, with one of those reportedly said to be Rosell’s wife. Police raided offices, homes and businesses in Barcelona and other parts of Spain as part of ‘Operation Rimet,’ named after Jules Rimet, former president of world football’s governing body Fifa.
The AP said the operation utilised information from the FBI following the U.S. case against high-level Fifa officials in 2015.
Rosell, who served as Barcelona president from July 2010 to January 2014, is standing trial for fraud and corruption charges involving the 2013 transfer of Brazilian striker Neymar to the club from Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A team Santos.
Spanish newspaper Sport said Barcelona is not considering making a statement as the latest case is not connected to the club or the legal proceedings surrounding the Neymar transfer.