Spanish football boss arrested in massive anti-corruption probe

Police officers raided the headquarters of Spain's football federation, the Real Federación Española De Fútbol, and arrested its president Angel Maria Villar as part of an anti-corruption probe on Monday.

Ángel María Villar, arrested on July 18 Reuters.

Villar, 67, is also a senior vice-president of world football's governing body, Fifa.

Judicial sources told the AFP news agency that he was being held on suspicion of abusing his position to embezzle funds from the federation, among other charges.

Fifa did not comment on the arrest.

Villar's son, Gorka, and another senior federation official were among those also detained in the probe.

Spain's political and financial crimes court said it is directing the probe into allegations of "collusion, fraud, embezzlement and presumed forgery".

Police who carried out raids on the federation headquarters and other locations related to the probe said that Villar is suspected of organising international football matches as part of a scheme to embezzle funds for Gorka's benefit.

In reaction to the arrest, a spokesperson for the Spanish government, Inigo Mendez de Vigo, told public television that "no-one is untouchable and everyone must obey the law."

Last month Spanish authorities accused Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho of failing to pay 3.3 million euros in taxes during his time in charge of Real Madrid.

And, facing a criminal conviction over an alleged 14.7 million euro tax discrepancy, Real Madrid supremo Cristiano Ronaldo will stand trial on 31 July.

A Spanish prosecutor claims the Real Madrid forward had knowingly used a business structure to allegedly hide his image rights income in Spain between 2011 and 2014.