French Authorities Investigate Alleged Tax Scandal in Neymar's PSG Transfer

French authorities are probing claims of tax evasion during Neymar Jr's €222 million move to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2017.

Allegedly, with politician involvement, PSG aimed to dodge €88 million in taxes. The Finance Ministry's offices were searched as part of the anti-corruption inquiry.

The investigation centers around suspected special tax concessions granted to PSG by French politicians, including then-public accounts minister Gérald Darmanin, enabling them to sidestep a significant tax bill on the Brazilian player's transfer funds, which were provided to Neymar to trigger his own release clause from FC Barcelona.

Mediapart reports suggest that key political figures may have facilitated PSG's tax avoidance, potentially with French President Emmanuel Macron's awareness. Communication head Jean-Martial Ribes faces separate charges in a related probe involving Qatari dealings with French entities.

The investigations are ongoing, with authorities yet to publicly charge Darmanin, now the interior minister. PSG and its Qatari owner Nasser al-Khelaifi, also implicated, have not commented on the allegations.