Neymar fined $3.3 million for environmental violations in Brazil

July 4, 2023

Neymar may be one of the world’s greatest soccer players, but that doesn’t mean he’s immune from a hefty fine from the Brazilian government.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward was given the equivalent of a $3.33 million fine for breaching local environmental regulations while having work done on his mansion in Mangaratiba, a city just outside of Rio de Janeiro, according to ESPN.

Neymar can appeal the decision, which will be given to the police for possible prosecution.

The soccer superstar’s property was inspected on June 22 by environmental officers after complaints had been received due to construction on the coastal mansion having been carried out without the proper environmental authorization.

In a statement, Mangaratiba City Hall said that a number of environmental infractions were committed “in the construction of an artificial lake at the mansion.”

Environmental authorities in Brazil fined football star Neymar a second time on June 24, 2023, after their orders to halt an unlicensed construction project at his mansion outside Rio de Janeiro were ignored, officials said.

Soccer — Aerial view of the Portobello Luxury Condominium where Brazilian footballer Neymar has a beachside mansion, in Mangaratiba, near Rio de Janeiro, taken on December 30, 2020.

“The Department of the Environment, in addition to applying the fines considering the environmental damage caused, as well as the disrespect for the environmental laws in force, have notified the facts found to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Civil Police, the Environmental Protection Police Station and other environmental control bodies,” Mangaratiba City Hall said in a statement.

The city said that they had issued Neymar four fines connected to the construction, which included diverting river water, earth movement and suppression of vegetation without approval.

They also said in documents that Neymar da Silva Santos, the PSG forward’s father, had verbally abused local authorities when they arrived to pause construction.

In a post on Instagram, Genesis Ecossistemas, the company that did the work on Neymar’s mansion, said that the 10-day lake project was 1,000 square meters (10,764 square feet) and that they would work with the local government to abide by proper regulations, ESPN reported.

The work cost Neymar $25,000.

A spokesperson for Neymar did not comment on the issue to ESPN, the Associated Press or Reuters.

— with AP