Portuguese football club charged with forgery, money laundering and breaching EU sanctions against Russia.

Portuguese prosecutors have initiated formal proceedings against Casa Pia, a top‑flight football club, over allegations of forgery, money laundering, and breaches of EU sanctions against Russia. [globalsanctions.com]

In essence, the charges focus on:

• Receiving sanctioned funds
• Concealing the source of those funds
• Using falsified or misleading documents to enable the transfer

According to multiple reports, the Public Prosecutor’s Office alleges that

• Casa Pia received €1.5 million originating from the Russian club FC Akhmat as part of a player transfer deal.
• FC Akhmat is reported to be owned by Ramzan Kadyrov, who is a designated individual under the EU’s sanctions regime. [blogs.duan…morris.com], [mondaq.com]

Authorities claim that

• The payment formed part of a broader set of offences, including forgery and money laundering, allegedly used to disguise the true origin of the funds and to mislead the bank involved in the transaction. [blogs.duan…morris.com]

Criminal allegations against Casa Pia and its executive manager in connection with the €1.5 million payment received from Russian club FC Akhmat.

• Breach of EU Sanctions
• Authorities allege that Casa Pia violated EU restrictive measures against Russia by accepting funds originating from FC Akhmat, a club reportedly owned by sanctioned individual Ramzan Kadyrov. [blogs.duan…morris.com], [mondaq.com], [globalsanctions.com] - This is the central charge forming the basis of the prosecution.
• The case is significant because it marks one of the first attempts by Portugal to prosecute a domestic club for violating EU restrictive measures imposed following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. [globalsanctions.com]
• Money Laundering
• Prosecutors claim that Casa Pia engaged in money laundering by participating in arrangements designed to conceal the true origin of the Russian funds.
  Reports note that the payment route and supporting documentation were allegedly structured to mislead the receiving bank. [blogs.duan…morris.com], [mondaq.com]
• Forgery / Document Falsification
• The indictment also includes allegations of forgery, asserting that documents were falsified or misrepresented to disguise the involvement of the sanctioned Russian club and to prevent the bank from blocking the transaction. [blogs.duan…morris.com], [mondaq.com]

The arguments

• Casa Pia maintains that the transaction was properly recorded through FIFA’s Transfer Matching System and insists that the transfer complied with relevant requirements.
• Prosecutors argue that internal emails and payment routing arrangements demonstrate an intentional attempt to circumvent EU measures. (Related background reporting indicates that the payment was routed through intermediaries, although the prosecution centres on the €1.5 million transfer figure.) [theportugalpost.com]

As proceedings continue, the case is being closely watched across Europe, where football clubs increasingly face compliance pressure relating to sanctioned entities and cross-border transfers.

Source Links

• https://blogs.duanemorris.com/europeansanctionsenforcement/2026/01/19/portugal-prosecution-brought-against-football-club-for-receiving-payment-from-sanctioned-russian-club/
• https://www.mondaq.com/export-controls-trade-investment-sanctions/1733972/prosecution-brought-against-football-club-for-receiving-payment-from-sanctioned-russian-club
• https://globalsanctions.com/2026/01/portugal-begins-prosecution-against-football-club-for-breaching-eu-sanctions/
• https://theportugalpost.com/posts/disguised-11m-russian-transfer-sparks-eu-sanctions-probe-at-lisbons-casa-pia