A Rome investigating judge has ordered Aurelio De Laurentiis, president of Italian football club Napoli, and its CEO Andrea Chiavelli to stand trial on charges of tax fraud, with proceedings scheduled for December 2026.
The indictment targets alleged irregularities in the club’s financial reports from 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Prosecutors accuse Napoli of using “fictitious capital gains” and accounting tactics to manipulate its financial statements.
Specific player transfers under scrutiny include Kostas Manolas from AS Roma and Victor Osimhen from Lille.
Napoli has vehemently denied the allegations.
In a statement issued Friday, the Italian champions expressed shock and dismay at the judge’s decision.
The club asserted that “all technical opinions have unequivocally confirmed the legality of the club’s procedures, both concerning financial reports and player transfers.”
De Laurentiis and Chiavelli have consistently maintained their innocence throughout the investigation.
Napoli is set to face Benfica in the Champions League on December 10.