Prosecutors Seek 9-Year Sentence For Former FC Barcelona Star Dani Alves Over Sexual Assault Charge

 

Alves played for Club Universidad Nacional in Mexico for the 2022-2023

Former FC Barcelona defender Dani Alves is facing up to nine years in prison over accusations he sexually assaulted a woman at a Barcelona nightclub in Dec. 2022, according to AFP, a development that comes three months after his formal indictment, when all of his bail requests were denied.

Prosecutors, who are seeking the nine-year sentence, also demanded Alves pay his alleged victim $163,500 in compensation, according to AFP, which cited a copy of his indictment.

Prosecutors also want Alves to remain supervised for a decade after serving his prison term, according to the Associated Press.

Alves, who has denied wrongdoing and claimed he had consensual sex with his accuser, has been in jail since his arrest in January, following a judge’s evaluation of the case in which they heard testimony from Alves, the alleged victim and witnesses.

Alves’ bail requests were denied because the court considered him a flight risk, the Associated Press reported, noting the 40-year-old offered to forfeit his passports and wear a tracking device while waiting on the court’s decision.

A trial date for the case has yet to be determined.

307 days. That’s how long Alves has been in jail in Spain since his arrest in January.

Alves has attempted to appeal for bail multiple times this year, with the most recent attempt being shut down by prosecutors this week. In April, the former soccer player’s lawyers filed a 200-page report and videos from security cameras that they claimed discredited the alleged victim’s and witnesses’ testimony, AP reported. Alves previously told the judge he didn’t have sex with his accuser, claiming he initially lied about the sexual encounter in an attempt to save his marriage.