Sao Paulo police apprehended documents and a computer at Sports Club Corinthians Paulista's headquarters on Tuesday, in an operation aimed at investigating the club's involvement in an international money laundering scheme in which the U.K. investment fund MSI (Media Sports Investment) participates.
Cops and public prosecutors took part in the operation. A member of Corinthians' administrative staff was arrested for attempting to take a computer while leaving the club's headquarters. The computer allegedly belonged to Kia Joorabchian, MSI's Iranian representative, who coordinated the fund's partnership with the club from 2004 to 2007.
On July 24, Corinthians' board of counselors unanimously voted for the end of the partnership, due to Joorabchian's alleged involvement with Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky, who faces money laundering charges in Brazil.
On July 12, the Federal Prosecution Office decreed Berezovsky's arrest, as a request of the Interpol, which investigates his liaisons with MSI.
The Prosecution Office on Tuesday stressed in a statement that all companies that issued false receipts to Corinthians will be investigated.
The police also apprehended computers and receipts at local accounting firm NBL, in Sao Paulo's west zone, charged with issuing about 80 false receipts to the club in the 2000-2005 period, generating losses of over 400,000 reais (200,000 U.S. dollars).
NBL's owner, Juraci Benedito, confessed to participating in the scheme, for which he was paid 17,000 reais (8,500 U.S. dollars) every month.
Corinthians' former director Alberto Dualib and vice director Nesi Curi will testify on the case, the police informed. On Aug.8, they were removed from their positions for involvement in the scheme.
The partnership with MSI was frequently criticized by the directors' opposition, which questioned the origin of the money supposedly invested in the club.
In the beginning, MSI promised 10 years of investments in the club, including the construction of a stadium. In 2007, Corinthians, one of Brazil's most popular football clubs, saw its debts amount to 53 million reais (26.5 million U.S. dollars).
Source: Xinhua
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