Former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has admitted to ‘buying an illegal liver’ for Eric Abidal, say reports in Spain.
A stunning report in El Confidencial explains how Rosell – who is currently in jail for various tax frauds – could face charges for illegal organ trafficking.
The report states former Barca chairman had admitted over phone calls that he had purchased a liver for Abidal, who was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2011.
The recording were then passed to the National High Court in Madrid, where Rosell was being investigated for money laundering.
Trafficking and transplant of organs obtained through illegal means has been outlawed in Spain since 2010 and is punishable by between six and 12 years in prison.
The regional High Court in Catalonia then issued a statement on Wednesday morning stating that ‘no crime or alleged perpetrators could be identified’ before closing the investigation earlier this year.
The 53-year-old also stands accused of assisting to launder €15m via tax havens between the years of 2007 and 2011, and was arrested last year in relation to buying television rights for Brazil matches.
Rosell was Barca president between 2010 and denies any wrongdoing, while he was also stand trial in a separate case linked to Neymar’s signing from Santos in 2013.
Abidal is now the Director of Football at the Blaugrana.
