At least six individuals have been apprehended by law enforcement and authorities have conducted searches at the main office of the Spanish Football Federation and a house owned by its ex-president, Luis Rubiales, in connection with an inquiry regarding accusations of illegal activities involving money.
According to the Associated Press, Spanish police stated that Rubiales was not one of the individuals who were arrested on Wednesday. Rubiales gained international attention for an unexpected kiss and his staunch refusal to resign.
According to a connected source, the agency is investigating Rubiales, along with five other individuals who have been officially named as part of the operation.
Authorities reported conducting a search of the federation’s headquarters in Las Rozas, located on the outskirts of Madrid, as well as a home owned by Rubiales in the southern city of Granada. Rubiales served as the federation’s leader from 2018 until 2023.
Photographs taken by Spanish media displayed law enforcement officers exiting a residence in the center of Granada while holding a cardboard container marked with the name “Luis Rubiales” and multiple other bags.
According to authorities, Rubiales was not present at his residence during the specified time. Spanish prosecutors reported conducting raids at 11 locations and anticipating the arrest of seven individuals.
The Spanish publication La Vanguardia connected the raids to a probe initiated in 2022 regarding Rubiales’s choice to restructure the Spanish Super Cup and relocate it to Saudi Arabia in exchange for a reported fee of €40m per tournament for the federation.
A Spanish news website released secret audio recordings of discussions between Rubiales and former Barcelona player, Gerard Piqué, about large sums of money in commissions, one month prior to the investigation’s start.
Piqué, who has participated in two Super Cups in Saudi Arabia with Barcelona, has refuted any allegations of misconduct or bias. Rubiales also denied any wrongdoing shortly after the investigation began. He stated to reporters in 2022 that he is at ease because he has not engaged in any illegal actions.
The operation conducted on Wednesday by Spanish prosecutors was part of a larger investigation into accusations of corruption, mishandling of assets, and money laundering in business dealings.
In September, Rubiales resigned from his position, approximately three weeks after he embraced Spain’s Jenni Hermoso, pulling her towards him and kissing her on the lips during the medal ceremony at the World Cup in Sydney.
The top criminal court in Spain is currently looking into allegations against Rubiales for sexual assault and coercion. Rubiales has denied any illegal behavior.
Source: theguardian.com
