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CORRUPTION

Migration Board worker charged with bribery

An office assistant with Sweden’s Migration Board has been charged with bribery after he requested 40,000 kronor ($4,920) to arrange a residence permit for an asylum seeker from Afghanistan.

While the employee wasn’t authorized to make decisions about residence permits applications, he was able to issue the actual documents, reports the Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper.

After seven months had passed without the Afghan having received a residence permit, he confronted the employee about the matter, using his mobile phone to record the conversation.

The Migration Board employee tried unsuccessfully to forcefully take the Afghan’s phone away from him during the confrontation.

The phone has since become a key piece of evidence for prosecutors handling the case.

The employee denies that he accepted money and claims that the Afghan started to threaten him after not receiving a residence permit.

The indictment also includes charges of assaulting the Afghan, whose shirt was torn during the scuffle over the telephone, and of unauthorized accessing of personal data in connection with more than ten other asylum applications.

The employee has since been suspended pending the outcome of the case.

CORRUPTION

Barçagate: Police raid FC Barcelona offices and arrest former president

Police raided the offices of FC Barcelona on Monday, carrying out several arrests just six days ahead of the club's presidential elections, a Catalan regional police spokesman told AFP.

Barçagate: Police raid FC Barcelona offices and arrest former president
Barcelona's former president Josep Maria Bartomeu is among the arrested. Photo: Josep Lago/AFP

Spain's Cadena Ser radio said one of those arrested was former club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who resigned in October, along with CEO Oscar Grau and the club's head of legal services.

But the police refused to confirm names, saying only “arrests are taking place” and adding that the operation was being run by officers from the financial crimes unit.

“We are in the process of carrying out an operation right now with agents of the financial crimes unit,” the police spokesman told AFP.

According to reports in the Spanish media, the operation is linked to last year's investigation into the 'BarçaGate' scandal, which saw the club deny hiring a company to criticise current and former players on social media to improve the image of the then-president Bartomeu.

Cadena Ser said Barca paid €1 million in six separate invoices to the company I3 Ventures, with whom the club have since cut ties.

Bartomeu resigned in October, after mounting pressure following months of controversy and a dramatic decline in performances on the pitch.

His successor is due to be elected on Sunday, when club members will choose between the final three candidates, Joan Laporta, Toni Freixa and Victor Font.

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