Bartomeu under investigation over €10 million Malcom transfer scandal
Former FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is once again facing legal scrutiny after being summoned by the 16th Court of Barcelona over allegations of embezzlement linked to the 2018 transfer of Brazilian winger Malcom.
According to El Periódico, Barcelona’s police submitted a report detailing severe financial irregularities tied to the €41 million signing. The investigation revealed that the club paid nearly €10 million to a firm named Business Futbol España (BFE) for “intermediary services” between 2018 and 2020, payments that investigators say were unjustified or excessively inflated.
Authorities allege that Bartomeu’s administration altered Malcom’s contract after signing to reduce the club’s tax burden, diverting part of the player’s fees to the intermediary company. This move allegedly allowed the club to halve its tax liability while obscuring the true financial scope of the transfer.
Investigators claim the changes were designed to mask the real cost of the operation and financially benefit those involved through artificial intermediary commissions.
Bartomeu, who continues to deny all accusations, has been linked to several financial scandals during his presidency, including mismanagement of transfer deals and the infamous “Barçagate” case.
Reports indicate that the current board, under Joan Laporta, has already reached a pre-emptive settlement with Spain’s tax authorities to prevent additional sanctions.
This latest development deepens the ongoing legal turmoil surrounding Bartomeu’s leadership, adding to the controversies that have overshadowed Barcelona’s recent history both on and off the field.
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