Barcelona unable to explain €180k payments to real estate business as part of police investigation | OneFootball

Barcelona have been enjoying a period relatively free of drama in the last three months, but once again find themselves in trouble with the law, as the investigation into their payments to former Vice-President of the Referees Committee Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira rumble on.

The Blaugrana paid €7.5m to two companies owned by Negreira over 17 years for alleged consultancy fees, but law enforcement has so far been unable to verify the services offereor locate where the money went. Now Sport say that another client of Barcelona’s has aroused suspicion amongst the police.

The national police are investigating €180k that was paid by Barcelona to real estate company Best Norton SL, a company formerly owned by now deceased director Josep Contreras. Due to the payments being old, Barcelona have told the police that they are unable to explain what the payments were for. The police are now trying gain access to Best Norton’s accounts in order to verify where that money ended up.

Barcelona are yet to be found guilty of anything, and were being investigated for both sporting corruption and bribery of public official, although there are doubts over whether the latter has a legal basis, as Negreira may not be considered a public official. Thus far no evidence of match-fixing has come to light.

Image via LaPresse via ZUMA Press