Neymar has £31.3m of assets frozen by court over alleged tax evasion

Barcelona forward alleged to have evaded £10.5m in tax
• Judge says Neymar ‘is solely responsible for the income declaration’

A Brazilian court has frozen assets of the Barcelona star Neymar, his family and related businesses valued at 188.8m Brazilian reals (£31.3m).

The São Paulo federal court said on Friday that the 23-year-old is alleged to have evaded 63m reals (£10.5m) in Brazil taxes between 2011 and 2013. He moved in 2013 from the Brazilian club Santos to Spain’s Barcelona.

Judge Carlos Muta said Neymar declared assets worth only 19.6m reals (£3.2m), adding that “he is solely responsible for the income declaration”. The Associated Press reached Neymar’s agent, who promised to comment later.

Neymar is accused of not paying 63.3m reals (£10.5m) in taxes between 2011 and 2013. The judge froze three times that amount for security reasons and to cover potential interest and fines, according to a judicial order explaining the seizure.

The action covers property and vehicles and is a preventive measure to stop the player selling assets before the case is settled. He will still have access to bank accounts and other liquid assets.

The judge accused the 23-year-old of “omitting sources of income from abroad”. Barcelona Football Club was cited as the source of unreported money.

The frozen assets were in the name of the Brazil player and three companies in which he and his father are the principal owners. Neymar’s total assets were given as 244.2m reals.

Neymar joined the Spanish club in June 2013 after a successful career at Santos but his transfer has been a source of controversy.

Then the Barcelona president, Sandro Rosell, said Neymar cost €57.1m but the deal was shrouded in secrecy.

His successor, Josep Maria Bartomeu, eventually admitted the total cost came to €86.2m once additional payments to the player and his family had been included.

Rosell resigned in January 2014 after a judge decided to investigate and call him to testify in the case. A Brazilian investment firm which bought an interest in Neymar has taken legal action against the player, his father and Barcelona in a bid to secure a bigger slice of the transfer fee.

THE GUARDIAN