RFEF president Villar arrested in anti-corruption probe

Patrick Power 6 years ago 2.5k
Spanish FA under investigation. AFP

Spanish national police arrested Spanish FA chief Angel Maria Villar on Tuesday morning, as part of an operation investigating several corruption offences.

Angel Maria Villar's re-election barely two months ago saw him hold his position at the head of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for 29 consecutive years.

As reported by Spanish daily 'El Pais', the operation began on Tuesday morning and is being overseen by High Court Judge Santiago Pedraz and coordinated by anti-corruption attorneys Inmaculada Violan and Esther Gonzalez.

Known as 'Operacion Soule', the probe has uncovered alleged misuse of the federation's finances by allegedly paying off regional federation heads in order to support Villar's re-election.

The raid has come only two days after the federation's general assembly and has seen both the RFEF president and his son, Gorka Villar, taken into custody.

 

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