Brazilian soccer star Neymar has been fined more than $3.3 million for violating local environmental regulations during renovations to his mansion in the city of Mangaratiba, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro.
The 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 infractions that were noticed on the player’s property are the start of an unauthorized construction that requires environmental control; taking the course of a river and its diversion without authorization; the movement of rocks and sand; unauthorized removal of vegetation and breach of an embargo,» the statement said.
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A town hall document obtained by The Associated Press says the latter charge is related to Neymar’s decision to swim in the artificial lake despite local authorities having come forward to ban him from the area due to environmental consequences. «For that, the athlete was fined again,» he said.
«The soccer player was at the mansion on Friday and entered the lake, ignoring the restraining order issued by the (Environment) Secretary and the local police, who showed up there the day before,» the document says.
Brazilian soccer player Neymar looks on during the first half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets on June 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Brazilian media reported on Friday that Neymar hosted a party that day to celebrate the completion of the artificial lake.
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A spokesman for Neymar, 31, declined to comment on the matter following a request from the AP. The Paris Saint-Germain striker can appeal the decision, which will be handed over to the police for possible prosecution of him.
The company that built the artificial lake, Génesis Ecosistemas, celebrated the 10 days of work on their social networks channels. He said the lake is 10,764 square feet.
The 46-page municipal document shows Neymar received the maximum fine for each of the violations he is accused of.
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It was signed by the city’s attorney general and also said the soccer player’s father, Neymar da Silva Santos, verbally assaulted local authorities last week when they arrived at the mansion to stop construction work.
The Mangaratiba city council said the illegal construction works cost Neymar about $25,000.