The club have filed a complaint against Bartomeu surrounding ‘possible irregularities’ during his spell
Barcelona have confirmed that they have filed a complaint with local prosecutors against the club’s former president, Josep Maria Bartomeu following an investigation into “possible irregularities.”
Following his appointment 11 months ago, Barça president Joan Laporta hired a set of corporate investigators to look into the previous board’s works.
As per Reuters, Bartmoeu was arrested in March 2021 after allegations of improper management and business corruption, which led to the Nou Camp offices being raided in an investigation dubbed as ‘Barçagate.’
After his arrest, the former president defended his time in charge of the club, speaking to local news outlet Sport.
He said: “Our management was not disastrous and La Liga, UEFA and the auditors say so.
“With 180 million (euros) in profits, and with Forbes valuing us as the most valuable club in the world. This serious and rigorous management was cut short by the appearance of the pandemic, which led to a drop in income of some 500 million.”
However in a statement released by the club on Wednesday, they said: “On Tuesday 1 February, the results of the in depth investigation brought about as a consequence of Financial Due Diligence and with the objective of detecting possible irregularities in the management of the Club during the previous presidential mandate will be presented publicly.
“As such, the action already taken by the club will also be included in the report made to the local Barcelona Prosecutor’s Office as a result of the facts that have come to light from the conclusions reached by the in depth investigation. The presentation will take place at the Auditoria 1899 from 11am CET and will be carried out by FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta.”
Bartmoeu has previously denied any wrongdoing or mismanagement of the club despite Laporta saying last August that the Catalan club had paid “disproportionate amounts” of money in commissions to people who had worked worked on transfers during his time in charge.
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