Neymar Cleared in Tax Evasion Case by Brazilian Court

Local media reported that Neymar could still be forced to pay a hefty fine to the Brazilian tax office.

In a major relief to Barcelona star Neymar, a Brazilian federal court judge dropped criminal charges against the footballer, ending a prolonged tax evasion case.

Judge Cecilia Mello said charges could only be recognised by the court following a separate ruling by Brazil’s tax dispute appeal body CARF.

“It is with great happiness that we received the news of the shelving of the Public Ministry’s case of tax evasion,” Neymar’s father, Neymar da Silva Santos, said in a statement.

“The process is officially closed and that proves the legality of all our acts,” he added.

Also read: PSG Confident of Signing Barcelona’s Neymar and Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez

According to Mello, prosecutors failed to show “a just cause” in claims that Neymar underpaid income tax between 2011 and 2014.

Local media reported that Neymar could still be forced to pay a hefty fine to the Brazilian tax office, which has accused the 25-year-old of evading around 20 million US dollars in taxes.

A court halved a tax office penalty of 200 million reais (around $60 million dollars) following an appeal by Neymar’s lawyers last year.

Neymar is currently with Barcelona at the pre-season tour. He has been subject to a move away from Barcelona with French giants Paris Saint-Germain confident of signing him.

Nasser al Khelaifi, the PSG chairman, is working on a potential world-record €222m deal for Neymar.

With inputs from agencies.