Ex-Football Chief Rubiales, Arrested by Spanish Police. They Did It Over Alleged Federation Fraud

Ex-Football Chief of Spain, Rubiales Gets Arrested by Police For Fraud Implication,

Some sources close to him said that Rubiales got off from the flight, and the police were with him for questioning right there at the airport

This was due to a scandal of corruption at the major Royal Spanish Football Federation (Real Federación Española de Fútbol; RFEF) when he was the president.

A local Guardia Civil Police spokesperson, mentioned that the 46 year old former president of the RFEF; got detained right at Madrid's Barajas airport. This was, after his flight from Dominican Republic, but then again, was released shortly afterwards!

Those sources really close to the former chief, said Rubiales got off the plane before the police interrogated him right within the airport.

Two weeks after investigators searched 11 locations, including Madrid's main headquarters of the RFEF and Rubiales southern city of Granada house, that's when Rubiales' arrest took place. This probe was concerning alleged corruption and a lot of other crimes too.

Information gotten from reliable sources also  mentioned that the 20th March raids carried out was part of investigations as well. These were to do with crimes linked to business corruption, administration fraudulency, and even money laundering.

According to what some Spanish media reported, investigators were heavily looking into the RFEF contracts since 2018, even one signed by Rubiales for taking the Spanish Super Cup right off to Saudi Arabia.

The contract involves 40 million euros every year, which makes it $43.3 million. the Super Cup contracts are worth that much, with Gerard Pique's company Kosmos brokering the deal.

The Guardia Civil police on Monday began searching the premises Rubiales was staying at, they seized a laptop, a mobile phone as well, this was as a result of the order give by the judge on investigation. 

Guardia Civil didn't say anything when AFP sought their opinion.

RFEF had to fire their legal director Pedro Gonzalez Segura, head of human resources Jose Javier Jimenez and GC Legal law firm's contract came to an end; these all allegedly happened on 21st March once the raid was finished.

Audio recordings got leaked in 2022 of Pique and Rubiales' conversations, they were talking about a lot of large commissions, so AFP went on to report that prosecutors opened an investigation for the Super Cup deal;

But Rubiales, always said that this was legitimate, the whole deal about Super Cup going to the rich Gulf state in oil. 

In 2022 April, he even spoke about it online at a private Spanish channel called, La Sextabefore before he got arrested. He completely denied doing anything wrong.

"The money in my bank accounts is the result of my work and my savings," Rubiales was quoted, he said all of this."

Rubiales was made to quit as the president of RFEF in September 2023, because he kissed Women's World Cup hero, Jenni Hermoso without consent after Spain beat England at Sydney's final in August 2023.

Rubiales actions got global outrage and was then taken to trial for a non-consensual kiss, that under Spanish law, it classifies as sexual assault.