Brazilian soccer star Neymar was fined more than $3.3 million for violating local environmental regulations during renovations at his mansion in the city of Mangaratiba, outside Rio de Janeiro.
ForMAURICIO SAVARESE AP Sports writer
Brazilian soccer player Neymar looks on during the first half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball game between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets, Friday, June 9, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
The Associated Press
SAO PAULO — Brazilian soccer star Neymar was fined more than $3.3 million for violating local environmental regulations during renovations at his mansion in the city of Mangaratiba, outside Rio de Janeiro.
Mangaratiba city council said in a statement late Monday that it had issued four fines totaling about 16 million Brazilian reais after Neymar was accused of illegally building an artificial lake at his mansion.
“Among the dozens of violations that were detected on the player’s property is the start of an unauthorized construction that requires environmental control; capture of a river course and diversion without authorization; moving rock and sand; the removal of vegetation without authorization and the breach of an embargo”, says the statement.
A city council document obtained by The Associated Press says the latest charge is related to Neymar’s decision to swim in the man-made lake despite local authorities moving to ban him from the area due to environmental concerns. . “For this, the athlete was fined again,” he said.
“The footballer was at the mansion on Friday and entered the lake, ignoring the restriction order made by the secretary (of the environment) and the local police, who showed up the day before,” the document says.
Brazilian media reported on Friday that Neymar threw a party that day to celebrate the completion of the artificial lake.
A spokesman for Neymar, 31, declined to comment on the matter after a request from the AP. The Paris Saint-Germain forward can appeal the decision, which will be handed over to the police for possible prosecution.
The company that built the artificial lake, Genesis Ecossistemas, celebrated the 10-day job on its social media channels. He said the lake is 1,000 square meters (10,764 square feet).
The 46-page City Council document shows Neymar received the maximum fine for each of the violations he is accused of.
It was signed by the city’s attorney general and also said the footballer’s father, Neymar da Silva Santos, verbally abused local authorities last week when they arrived at the mansion to stop the works.
Mangaratiba city council said the illegal construction work cost Neymar about 120,000 Brazilian reais ($25,000).
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