The family of footballer Neymar reportedly assisted Dani Alves in paying a £128,000 fine in his rape case, which contributed to a reduction in the sentence handed to the former Barcelona defender.
Alves, aged 40, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail on Thursday, February 22, after being convicted of raping a woman at a Spanish nightclub. He had been held in custody at Brians 2 Prison near the Catalan capital since his arrest in January 2023. State prosecutors had sought a nine-year jail term, while the victim’s lawyer demanded a 12-year sentence upon conviction.
One of the mitigating factors in Alves’ sentencing was the pre-payment of the £128,000 (£150,000) compensation ordered by the Spanish court to be given to the victim for moral damages and injuries resulting from the incident. Neymar’s family, who had previously played alongside Alves at Barcelona, PSG, and Brazil, reportedly assisted in covering the fine.
According to reports from Brazilian outlet UOL, Neymar’s family provided legal support through Gustavo Xisto, one of the senior legal representatives of Neymar’s father, to aid Alves in the case. Alves, whose lawyer confirmed plans to appeal the verdict, maintained his innocence throughout the trial, claiming consensual sex with the woman.
The time Alves spent in custody during the legal process will also be deducted from his overall sentence. Additionally, apart from imprisonment and the compensation payment, he was handed a five-year parole and a nine-and-a-half year restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim.
During the trial, the victim testified behind a screen, alleging that Alves had forced himself on her after hitting her. The judges concluded that Alves had attempted to penetrate the victim forcefully and had prevented her from leaving the toilet during the assault. Despite any prior intimacy, the judges emphasized that consent must be given explicitly and continuously throughout sexual activity, denouncing Alves’ actions as sexual assault.
