Yzabelle Bostyn
THE doors are closing in on disgraced Spanish football official, Luis Rubiales as he escapes Spanish fraud investigation at his Dominican Republic hideout.
Spanish police raided the ex-football federation chief’s Granada home his Wednesday, March 20 in connection with suspicious contracts.
It is believed that Rubiales and his team drew up the contracts to host the Spanish Super Cup competition in Saudi Arabia.
The investigation concerns a five-year deal that saw a one-off cup match held in the Middle Eastern country for the first time in 2022.
The multi-million euro agreement was signed between Rubiales and the firm Kosmos, founded and headed by former Barca defender Gerard Pique.
The Guardia Civil also ‘forcibly’ searched the Madrid headquarters of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) where they made seven arrests.
Known as ‘Operation Brody’, the widespread raids are part of an investigation into allegations of business corruption, maladministration and money laundering.
Sources have indicated to El Pais that 11 homes and several organisations both public and private are to be searched.
Police also want to interview a further five people.
READ MORE: Judge in Spain rules the kiss he planted on Jenni Hermoso ‘was not consensual’
The RFEF raid took over 20 hours and included a search of Rubiales’ emails dating back to 2018 when he became president of the federation.
They reportedly accessed some 20 email accounts and five million personal and private emails linked to the Super Cup.
Investigators are also allegedly looking into some events which took place in China, as well as work done on Sevilla’s La Cartuja stadium.
Europol has also begun investigating cryptocoin transfers of the ousted football tsar linked to the suspected corruption.
Among those arrested is thought to be Rubiales’ right-hand man and legal fixer Tomas Gonzalez Cueto and the federations director of legal services.
No arrest warrant has been issued for Rubiales, who has been in the Dominican Republic on ‘property business’ for the past month.
However, the prosecution is expected to issue one soon.
Then, if Rubiales does not return to Spain, extradition could be on the cards.
The former UEFA vice-president has so far fought against the controversy surrounding him after he planted a non consensual kiss on Spanish footballer, Jenni Hermoso during the Women’s World Cup.
He could refuse to return to Spain and use Dominican law to fight against the extradition, a process which could take between six months to a year.
It will be up to Dominican authorities to decide if they turn Rubiales in.
If they do, he could also wait there up to 25 years while the statute of limitations expires.
He could also leave the Dominican Republic and go to a country which has agreements with Interpol.
In this case, he would automatically be arrested and handed over to Spanish authorities.
Currently, Rubiales is expected to return to Spain on April 6, where he could be detained on arrival.
He is accompanied by ex-footballer Francisco Javier, also known as ‘Nene’, who may also be arrested on arrival in Spain.
According to TardeAR, the two are in Cap Cana, a luxury urbanisation found in celebrity enclave Punta Cana.
READ MORE: Luis Rubiales claims ‘everyone on the street is with me – especially the women!’
