Santiago Pedraz, judge of Spain’s National Court, has decided not to admit a complaint filed against FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta and members of his board. The decision was issued in early March 2026.
The refusal is based on lack of jurisdiction, since the alleged crimes including money laundering, mismanagement, document forgery, tax offenses, and criminal organization were partly committed in Barcelona. The Public Prosecutor supported transferring the case to the Barcelona courts.
The complainant, Isidro Navarro from Toledo, recently became a member of FC Barcelona and filed the lawsuit at the start of the club’s presidential election process. The club stated the complaint documents were “false and totally fabricated.”
The case may now be refiled in the ordinary courts in Barcelona where it will be properly examined. This jurisdictional shift aligns with the principle that offenses committed partly within local territory should be tried there.
This ruling opens the way for a thorough investigation in Barcelona, emphasizing local judicial oversight in one of Spain’s biggest football clubs.
