Brazil freezes $50m worth of Neymar's assets, including yacht and private jet

Jet, yacht, bank accounts and properties of Barcelona star blocked over alleged evasion of $16m in taxes

Brazilian authorities have frozen assets worth almost $50 million belonging to football star Neymar da Silva Santos Junior over alleged tax evasion, local media has reported.

The striker's personal yacht, jet, bank accounts, and properties in six Brazilian cities were blocked over charges that he, his family and related businesses owe about $16m in taxes allegedly evaded from 2011 to 2013.



The Brazilian law on tax evasion allows authorities to freeze three times the amount of the value of assets.

A Sao Paulo federal court rejected an appeal from Neymar, who denied the claim.

Iagaro Jung Martins, an auditor with Brazil's federal tax agency, told the Associated Press news agency that Neymar is not likely to go to jail if he pays what regulators say he owes. "He can still appeal that decision, but it is a step forward," Martins said. "Nothing changed to what was in place last year: if he pays what he owes, the case is closed. Our legislation isn't too harsh."

The asset seizure is the latest in a streak of controversy surrounding the 23-year-old player for the Spanish football club Barcelona.



On February 2, Neymar seemed relaxed as he arrived at Spain’s National Court in Madrid with his father Neymar da Silva Santos, who was also called to testify before an investigating judge.

Investigators in both countries suspect Neymar’s family and the club hid the real value of the deal under which Barcelona signed him from Brazilian side Santos.

Barcelona maintains the deal cost the club $74m. Santos officially received a payment of $18.5m, with the remaining $55.5m going to a company owned by his father.

But investigations in Spain later showed that Barcelona spent nearly $90m to acquire Neymar.

As a result, former and current presidents of the Barcelona club and representatives of Santos were also questioned over the case.



In May last year Santos filed a lawsuit with FIFA seeking compensation for a breach of contract.

Neymar's fellow Barcelona star Lionel Messi and Messi's father will also face tax fraud allegations in a Barcelona court on May 31.