French financial prosecutor PNF has raided the offices of the French football League (LFP) and private equity firm CVC Capital Partners following corruption allegations.
The allegations relate to a deal signed in 2022 under which CVC paid €1.5bn (£1.25bn) for a 13% stake in LFP’s new television rights subsidiary.
The contract was criticized in a recent report by the French Senate, which questioned who would benefit from the deal.
Investigators are now probing the conditions under which it was agreed, including a €37m (£30.8m) bonus which was supposed to be split upon completion between banks, lawyers and league bosses.
“We can confirm that searches are currently being carried out, including in the offices of the Professional football League and those of the CVC investment fund,” indicates a statement from the PNF.
“These actions are part of an investigation that was opened and then assigned to the Paris Investigative Section on July 16, 2024, on charges of embezzlement of public funds, active and passive corruption of a public official, and illegal conflict of interest. “.
The LFP, which runs French football‘s two main tiers, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, has been struggling financially after the collapse of a previous television deal in 2021.
CVC manages around €193bn (£161bn) in assets worldwide, including numerous investments in sports, particularly Six Nations and Premiership Rugby.
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