Police made several arrests on Monday in an operation for alleged economic crimes against the FC Barcelona which, according to some media, would affect the former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, The relief must be chosen in an election in six days.
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“We are currently making a device with agents in the area of economic crimes,” said a police spokesman, without giving details about the purpose of the operation, which, according to numerous Spanish newspapers, would be linked to the ‘Barçagate’ scandal.
” Arrests are being made, ” he added, without specifying the number or identity of those arrested.
Spanish radio Ser string and other local media say he was arrested in the operation Josep María Bartomeu, Óscar Grau, Romanian Gómez Ponti i Jaume Masferrer. This is the former president, the CEO of the FC Barcelona and the head of the legal services, and of the presidency cabinet.
The press also linked the operation to the ‘Barçagate’ scandal that erupted a year ago, in February 2020, when the same Ser string reveal a smear campaign against the staff by a company hired by the club.
The board denied having taken over the services of this company to slander the figures of the Barcelona on social media, but to improve the image of the then president Bartomeu.
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The investigation of this source showed that Barça had disbursed one million euros in six different invoices from the company I3 Ventures, From which he broke away after the scandal.
” Barça have never hired a service to discredit anyone. It is true that at the end of 2017, Barça contracted a monitoring service for different areas of the club on social networks ”, it was then defended Bartomeu.
The police operation takes place six days before the scheduled club presidency elections, in which members (club owners-fans) must choose between Joan Laporta, Former President between 2003 and 2010, Victor Font i Toni Freixa.
Tough message against Bartholomew
After the scandal that took place in the early hours of this morning, the Spanish journalist Jota Jordi expressed that a Bartomeu he must be investigated for all the harm he did to the Catalan club under his management.
” That they be investigated to the end to leave the club as they have left it, to damage the image of Barça and the members, and to try to destroy the club. And let no one think of mixing Barça with Bartomeu. Bartomeu is not from Barça ”, wrote the reporter of the Bar and partner of the Barcelona and Twitter.