Initially scheduled for July 11, the court session had already been postponed to today by the panel of judges due to the complexity of the case. However, it has been delayed again and will now take place in late November, starting at 09:30, at the São João Novo Court in Porto.
On June 20, during the final arguments of the so-called Operation Malapata, which investigates player transfers and bank accounts through which thousands of euros circulated, the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) requested 8 to 10 years in prison for César Boaventura and sentences close to the legal minimum, but with suspended execution, for the other defendants.
The businessman is accused of five crimes of qualified fraud, three of document forgery, one of qualified tax fraud, and another of money laundering.
In February, César Boaventura was cumulatively sentenced to three years and four months in prison, with suspended execution, for three crimes of active corruption in football.
The Matosinhos court found evidence of the enticement of former Rio Ave players Cássio, Marcelo, and Lionn to facilitate a match against Benfica in the 2015/16 season in exchange for financial and contractual benefits. However, the court acquitted the businessman of the crime of attempted corruption involving former Marítimo goalkeeper Romain Salin.
