Former Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli and several ex-board members have had their plea bargains approved by a judge on Monday, bringing an end to their false accounting trial, Afrosport reports.
Agnelli’s agreement includes a 20-month suspended sentence and could pave the way for his return to football once his sports ban expires next month.
Former Juventus vice chairman Pavel Nedved reached a deal for a 14-month suspended sentence, while ex-sporting director Fabio Paratici received 18 months.
Former CEO Maurizio Arrivabene, however, was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Rome court, which took over the case after it was transferred from Turin.
The trial was launched after prosecutors opened an investigation into Juventus in 2021. Authorities had accused the club of concealing illicit commissions from transfers and loans, manipulating players’ salaries, and issuing invoices for non-existent transactions to inflate revenue figures.
Juventus, who are listed on the Milan stock exchange and have denied any wrongdoing, was fined €156,000 and also struck a settlement with about 75 investors, agreeing to pay just over €1 million.
The case, which forced Agnelli and the club’s entire board to resign in 2022, saw Juventus penalised with a 10-point deduction in the 2022-23 season and excluded by UEFA from the Conference League for financial irregularities.
