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Barcelona Charged with Suspected Bribery for Over €7M in Payments in Referee Scandal

Barcelona is being charged with suspected bribery for allegedly paying more than €7 million to companies linked to former refereeing committee vice president José María Enríquez Negreira, according to ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.

Former Barcelona presidents Josep María Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell and Negreira and his son, Javier Enríquez Romero, are also being charged with suspected bribery, according to ESPN.

A complaint was initially filed against Barcelona, the club's former presidents and Negreira in Spanish court in March, and an investigation was opened into the alleged payments. The club was previously charged with "alleged corruption in sport, corruption in business, false administration and the falsification of commercial documents," according to ESPN.