Barcelona, 24 Feb (EFE).- FC Barcelona said Monday it paid the Spanish treasury a 13.5 million euros ($18.6 million) to cover additional taxes the club may owe in connection with the deal that brought Brazilian striker Neymar to Barça.
Despite the payment, club directors remain "convinced of the legality of the initial compliance with tax obligations," Barcelona said in a statement, attributing any discrepancies to differing interpretations of the relevant laws and regulations.
The defending La Liga champions were indicted last week for tax fraud, as Spanish National Court Judge Pablo Ruz concluded that there was sufficient evidence of wrongdoing to warrant a judicial probe.
Ruz was already looking into allegations of misconduct by erstwhile club president Sandro Rosell in the Neymar transaction.
FC Barcelona defrauded the Spanish treasury of 9.1 million euros ($12.5 million), prosecutor Jose Perals said in a brief filed last Wednesday.
Management used multiple parallel cont
