Former FC Barcelona president cited for spying on Mediapro


Details

Juan Fernandez Gonzalez

| 07 February 2016




Spanish pay-TV firm Mediapro has filed a complaint against the former president of Barcelona Football Club, Sandro Rosell, claiming he carried out corporate espionage on the production house.



According to Mediapro, Robert Cama, its former IT manager, was sending emails and other private information from founder Jaume Roures directly to Rosell. Mediapro claims the activity was carried out before he reached the presidency of the football club and during the time he directed FC Barcelona.

The emails are said to have mostly referred to Mediapro's TV and broadcasting rights business, detailing the negotiation to buy and sell rights, issues with other audiovisual groups like Sogecable (Canal+'s former owner) and Audiovisual Sport, and also the situation while the company was close to bankruptcy.

Mediapro says it has been aware of the situation since October 2011, when the company fired Cama, who is now working as an IT manager for FC Barcelona. The group decided to wait to file the complaint until the other court process, in which Mediapro has been involved, had concluded.

The production house has now presented the case to the investigative court of Barcelona city, which is to study the case and decide whether the accusations are founded or not.

Leading Spanish sports publication Marca has reported that Roures is to appear in court on 12 February to testify on behalf of his company.