By Humberto Viera
Feb 23, 2024, 2:40 PM EST
Following the sentence of four years and six months in prison for former Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves, several details about the case have emerged, including alleged help from the family of soccer player Neymar Jr.
The Spanish justice system found Alves guilty of sexually assaulting a woman at the Sutton nightclub in Barcelona during the early hours of December 31, 2022. Alves compensated the victim with 150,000 euros ($162,306) for moral damage and injuries suffered, in addition to receiving a total fine of 9,000 euros ($9,738 dollars) for a minor crime of injuries.
Alves’s financial situation deteriorated considerably after his arrest, which is why he needed Neymar’s help to face the sanctions imposed by the justice system.
The Brazilian portal UOL stated that these 150,000 euros that “helped mitigate his conviction for rape” were paid “with the help of Neymar’s family,” being called “mitigation to repair the damage caused.” The money was key to reducing Alves’ sentence, taking into account that the Spanish Prosecutor’s Office proposed nine years and the victim’s defense demanded 12 years.
The money was deposited before the trial “in the court account so that it could be delivered to the victim regardless of the outcome of the sentence,” according to the Brazilian portal.
“Neymar’s family also lent Gustavo Xisto, one of the oldest legal representatives of Neymar Sr.’s companies,” the outlet noted.
The newspaper O’Globo, which also confirmed this contribution, recalled statements made by Neymar’s father at the beginning of January: “The family asked us for help. Dani did not have money to defend himself and the deadline to pay for the defense was running out. Think about it, at no time could you deny help to a friend who is trying to defend himself against an accusation,” said Neymar da Silva Santos.
“To date, the presumption of innocence is valid throughout the world. “Either we participate in a public trial prior to the lynching, or we try to help a friend and let the courts decide Dani’s fate,” Neymar Sr. argued at the time.
Alves has been detained since January 20, 2023, and his defense is preparing a series of presentations to try to achieve his freedom starting next March, as confirmed by the Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia.
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