The former president of the RFEF, Luis Rubiales, will face arrest if he returns to Spain. However, Rubiales is currently in the Dominican Republic. An investigation is underway into his role in irregular contracts.
Rubiales was also in the news last year, after an incident during the women’s World Cup trophy ceremony in Sydney. He gave player Jenni Hermoso a kiss full on the mouth without her permission.
Agents of the OCU searched the headquarters of the RFEF, other buildings in Seville and Rubiales’ house in Granada on Wednesday. The Guardia already knew they would not find the ex-manager at the RFEF or in his private residence. According to police sources, Rubiales will be arrested if he returns to Spain.
On Wednesday morning, agents of the Central Operational Unit searched the federation’s offices in Las Rozas in an investigation into alleged irregular contracts over the past five years. These are related to the organisation of the Supercopa de España in Saudi Arabia. Seven arrests have been made, including that of Tomás Gonzalez Cueto. He was Rubiales’ lawyer and right-hand man during his tenure. In addition, five others have been arrested and are under investigation.
What is Luis Rubiales doing in the Dominican Republic?
Rubiales has been in the Caribbean country for several weeks to do business. And, as his defense reported, he is expected to return to Spain on April 6, which he is “at full disposal” of the court. In addition, he is also prepared to “return before that date if deemed necessary”. It has also been announced that his family will visit him in the Dominican Republic. “I will return when I need to return,” Rubiales reportedly told Spanish newspaper ‘Ok Diario’ about his possible return.
What does the OCU investigate?
OCU agents, with the help of Europol, examine information and documents dating from 2018 to 2023. This is the period when Rubiales was president of the RFEF. The Guardia Civil investigates possible irregularities in payments and multimillion-dollar contracts. This includes the contract that brought the Spanish Supercopa to Arabia, an agreement in which Gerard Piqué’s company Kosmos pocketed €24 million for his mediation. The OCU has carried out searches by agents in the offices of Kosmos and in the homes of the ex-Barça player.
La Cartuja
It is not the only thing that the agents have in their sights, as documents have also been searched in the offices of La Cartuja (stadium in Seville) where irregularities in the renovation work are being investigated. A football stadium construction company in Spain could also be investigated for the renovation of stadiums to host Copa del Rey matches, for example.
