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The former president of Barcelona, Josep Maria Bartomeu, has been arrested as part of a new investigation into ‘Barcagate’ at the Camp Nou, Aim You can confirm.
SER string On Monday he broke the news that former members of the Catalan club’s board had been arrested after a raid on offices by regional police officers.
This process began at dawn with a request that Barça employees transmit all the relevant documentation and that the authorities seize the material related to the long-term case.
What has happened?
Along with Bartomeu, Goal learned that three other arrests have been made at this stage.
The club’s CEO, Oscar Grau, the former adviser to the presidency, Jaume Masferrer, and the chief legal advisor, Roman Gómez Ponti, have also been arrested.
Catalan police are said to have left the offices at Camp Nou on Monday morning after conducting a search and headed to Bartomeu’s home.
What did Barcelona say?
Barcelona issued a statement that said: “Before the entry and registration by the Catalan Police this morning at the Camp Nou offices under the instruction of the Court of Instruction number 13 of Barcelona, which is in charge of the case related to the contacting surveillance services in social networks, FC Barcelona has offered its full collaboration to the judicial and police authorities to help clarify facts that are the subject of investigation.
“The information and documentation requested by the judicial police is strictly related to the facts related to this case.
FC Barcelona expresses its great respect for the current judicial process and for the principle of presumed innocence of the people affected in the scope of this investigation ”.
What is the Barcagate?
The Bartomeu administration has been accused of paying public relations firm I3 to oversee the club’s online work.
It is alleged that I3 was paid to clear up Bartomeu’s image, as he was attacked by a disgruntled fan base, while scorning the reputations of several current and former players, including Lionel Messi, Gerard Piqué and Xavi.
A year has passed since reports of irregularities by Barça’s board members first emerged.
Barca and I3 were quick to refute the allegations and an audit by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) found that no smear campaigns had been launched against an individual.
Ties between the League giants and I3 were severed, but police forces have continued to investigate the matter.
They first raided offices at Camp Nou in June 2020 and have now returned to intensify their investigation.
All those at the center of the accusations are innocent until proven otherwise.
When did Bartomeu leave?
Bartomeu left his post at the Camp Nou on October 27, 2020.
He was the subject of a vote of no confidence by the club’s supporters, and the decision was made to leave before being removed from a prominent position.
So far no successor has been chosen, and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is causing problems for sports institutions around the world.
However, Barça expect to have a new front man on March 7, with Joan Laporta, Victor Font and Toni Freixa, the three remaining candidates left in the race to fill a vacant presidential position.
