I returned the money
The Royal Spanish Football Federation, led by Luis Rubiales, faced suspension actions from FIFA and was scrutinized as a legal entity involved in a subsidy controversy. The federation’s accounts, obtained by El Periódico de España from the Prensa Ibérica group, detail a procedure that could challenge the defendant’s standing in court and raise questions about accountability in the Haiti case. The case features a dispute over whether public funds were misused and whether the Federation can be prosecuted for subsidy fraud given the elapsed time since the alleged acts.
Madrid Criminal Court No 30 received the case and must decide whether to accept a request associated with the Federation and its leadership. The Federation claims that certain actions were time barred because they occurred more than five years prior and the related complaint was filed in 2016. The body assessing the Spanish football federation has asserted that prosecution for subsidy fraud has lapsed due to the time limit. The issue centers on whether the applicable statute of limitations extinguishes criminal liability for the alleged offenses.
I returned the money
The federation acknowledged that it was not the intended recipient of certain public aid. In its formal accounts, after being named a legal person, an internal investigation was launched to recover benefits that were not fulfilled before the judicial process began. The repayment amount, totaling 1,560,931 euros including principal and accrued interest, has been recorded as a restitution. The federation argues that this arrangement should repair the damage and may constitute an exemption from criminal action. The matter is presented as a remedy to the harm caused by the grant and the related misapplication of funds.
The Haiti case remains notable as the only instance in which the RFEF has been prosecuted as a legal entity. It began after a complaint by Miguel Ángel Galán Castellanos, who chairs the National Coaches Training Center Cenafe. He accused the federation and its then president Angel Maria Villar and other executives of embezzlement, fraud, and the misallocation of public funds tied to a 219,500 euro grant intended to set up a public fund for a football school in Haiti.
Investigation records from the President of Investigation Court No 4 in Majadahonda, Madrid, confirmed that the funds did not reach Haiti. The inquiry extended to four subsidized programs, revealing an additional 1,222,500 euros awarded to the RFEF that was also not used for the stated purpose. The findings set the stage for broader scrutiny of how public money was allocated within the federation and its programs.
three defendants
In parallel, the Majadahonda judge agreed to pursue charges against the federation as well as several individuals connected to its leadership. The former secretary-general Jorge Perez Arias, former manager Jose Maria Castillon Casasnovas, and Isabel Navas Portillo, formerly the director of the RFEF Foundation, were named in the indictment. The court details allege that the defendants failed to carry out the project for which the subsidy was granted and did not comply with the conditions that accompanied the aid. The published order, dated November 28, 2022, outlines these accusations and places responsibility on the named individuals for failing to deliver the project as promised.
By contrast, the judge dismissed charges against Villar and the federation for other crimes they faced. Prosecutors had urged a sanction of 700 thousand euros in damages against the federation, as reported in legal summaries. The case illustrates a complex dispute over accountability within the federation and how leadership decisions intersect with publicly funded programs. The legal proceedings continue to unfold with ongoing scrutiny from judicial authorities and the media, highlighting the challenges of governance in high profile sports institutions. The coverage underscores how public funds are intended to support football infrastructure and programs, and how mismanagement can trigger serious judicial consequences.