Barcelona Slam 'Radically False' Money Laundering Claims Against Laporta as 'Fabricated'
FC Barcelona have hit back hard at reports of a criminal complaint against president Joan Laporta, calling the allegations baseless and threatening legal action.
A bombshell that Barcelona reckon is a dud. The club have come out swinging after a report emerged alleging a member had filed a complaint at Spain’s Audiencia Nacional against president Joan Laporta and several board members over alleged money laundering and improper commission payments.
What’s the story?
Catalan outlet El Periódico broke the news on Monday, but Barça were having absolutely none of it. The club fired off a lengthy official statement insisting the allegations are built on sand — or more specifically, on what they describe as forged or heavily manipulated documents.
The timing is eyebrow-raising, too. Barcelona are currently in the middle of their presidential election process, and the club are not shy about suggesting this whole thing might be a coordinated attempt to muddy the waters.
What did Barcelona actually say?
The club’s statement laid out a pretty detailed timeline:
- 15 January 2026: Journalists from two outlets, along with the OCCRP (Organized Crime & Corruption Reporting Project), contacted Barça to verify the information and documents underpinning the claims.
- Internal review: The club ran the material through both internal and external checks and concluded the information was, in their words, “implausible and divorced from reality” — based on documents they believe were false or manipulated.
- 19 January 2026: Barcelona formally responded, telling the journalists the story was “totally and absolutely false” and urging them not to publish it.
- Multiple outlets passed: According to the club, the story was shopped around to loads of Spanish media — and not one of them ran it, because they all spotted clear signs it was dodgy.
The legal threats
This is where it gets properly serious. Barça are threatening to come for everyone involved:
- The member(s) who filed the complaint face potential legal action for false reporting, document forgery, and defamation.
- The club will also push for the harshest possible disciplinary sanctions through their internal Discipline Commission.
- El Periódico could face legal action too, with Barça furious that the outlet published the piece despite allegedly knowing the club’s rebuttal and the questionable nature of the documents.
The political angle
Barça didn’t mince their words on this front either. The club explicitly stated they believe the timing — smack in the middle of an election campaign — is no coincidence, calling it a potential “illegitimate attempt to disrupt the democratic process.” They’ve also said they’ll hand all the information over to the Electoral Board so pre-candidates are aware of the consequences of spreading false claims during the campaign.
Whether this ends up being a storm in a teacup or something that drags on through the courts, one thing’s clear: the Blaugrana are going full nuclear on this one. No half-measures.