Barcelona President Joan Laporta has faced charges in connection with the ongoing investigations into alleged bribes paid to referees, according to a Spanish court’s announcement on Wednesday.
The club itself, along with two former presidents, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, as well as the former head of Spain’s referee body, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, and his son, have already faced charges.
Laporta’s charges pertain to his first tenure as Barcelona’s president, which spanned from 2003 to 2010.
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The judge leading the investigation, in a report published on Wednesday, expressed the view that Laporta could not escape the statute of limitations due to the gravity of the allegations.
Allegedly, Negreira received over seven million euros ($7.5 million) from Barcelona between 2001 and 2018 through companies ostensibly responsible for producing referee reports for the club.
Barcelona, a 27-time Spanish champion, has been battling accusations for several months and maintains its innocence.