A Brazilian court has frozen assets of Neymar, his family and related businesses valued at 188.8 million Brazilian reals ($48 million, €42 million).
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According to a statement by Sao Paulo federal court in Brazil, Neymar failed to declare assets of £3.3m between 2011 and 2013.
Neymar joined Barcelona in June 2013 after a successful career at Santos but his transfer has been a source of controversy. An auditor with Brazil’s tax agency, though, told the media that there wouldn’t likely be any jail time and the whole thing is probably not going to be too bad for the soccer star if he just pays what he owes.
The Brazilian player is accused of not paying £10m in taxes between 2011 and 2013.
The action covers property and vehicles and is a preventive measure to stop the player selling assets before the case is settled.
FC Barcelona have been attributed to be the source behind the unreported money.
To safeguard future payments, the court froze assets worth 150 percent of what they estimate Neymar might owe including penalties and fines.
“Neymar Jr did not evade taxes and neither did any of our companies”.
The courts have also frozen the accounts of Neymar’s father and his companies Neymar Sport & Marketing, N&N Consultancy and N&N Administration of Goods, Participations and Investments.
Neymar is now in his third season with Barcelona after arriving in 2013 in a deal which has led to the club facing charges of tax avoidance, forcing former president Sandro Rosell to resign.
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While it’s not clear how exactly the misstatement occurred, the assets seized included three companies listed in the names of Neymar and his father.
