MADRID: Sandro Rosell, former president of Barcelona, will finally go on trial in February on charges of money-laundering and criminal conspiracy – almost two years since he was detained.

The trial of Rosell, who denies all charges, will start on February 25 and is expected to last until the end of March. Also charged and due to appear with with him are wife, Marta Pineda , and five others accused of laundering €20m siphoned off from the Brazilian football confederation.

Rosell risks a maximum term of 11 years in prison as well as a fine of €59m; Marta Pineda faces a maximum seven-year sentence; Andorran lawyer Joan Besolí 10 years; a Lebanese friend of Rosell, Shahe Ohanneissian, seven years old; and two other associates, Pedro Andrés Ramos and Josep Colomer, eight and six years respectively.

The five are accused of laundering €15m in commissions from the broadcast rights of 24 friendly matches of the Brazilian national team and another €5m from a sponsorship contract with Nike – of which Rosell was once senior executive in Brazil.

The €15m TV agreement was signed off by the then CBF president Ricardo Teixeira with an Arab company based in the Cayman Islands. Prosecutors claim that Teixeira himself benefited personally to €8.4m without the federation knowing.

The €5m related to the sponsorship contract of the Seleçao with Nike. The money was alleged paid into an Andorran account linked to the former president of Barcelona between 2010 to 2014.

Rosell has been in detention since May 25, 2017. On July 25, 2018, he was transferred from Soto del Real (Madrid) to the Catalan prison of Can Brians 2 in Sant Esteve de Sesrovires.

Repeated pleas for bail were refused on the grounds that his wealth made him a flight risk.

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