Police raid Barcelona offices amid corruption investigation

The Mossos d'Esquadra - the police force of Catalonia - have decided to search Barcelona's offices this Monday morning.

This is believed to be related to the Barcagate scandal of last February, where companies was allegedly contracted by the club to carry out social media campaigns against certain people and entities that were said to be opposed to former president Josep Maria Bartomeu's administration.

I3 Ventures SL, NSG Social Science Ventures SL, Tantra Soft SA, Digital Side SA, Big Data Solutions SA and Futuric SA are the companies named in this case and, according to Cadena SER, this saga is the reason police have gone to search the club offices.

According to people close to the club, the police officers are carrying out an inspection. Yet exact details of what they're looking for have not yet emerged.

Bartomeu was significantly damaged by Barcagate, but denied involvement in the alleged smear campaign. An external audit ruled out Bartomeu's board as being behind it. Some board members did resign in response.

In June, a judge from the 13th Barcelona investigating court, Adriana Gil, accepted a complaint from the Dignitat Blaugrana platform about alleged mismanagement and/or individual corruption among some directors.

In the summer of 2020, at the request of the judge, some police officers visited the club offices to collect information about the case. Now, this Monday, they have returned.