Former Barcelona defender Dani Alves hosted a gathering with family and friends upon being released on bail after serving 15 months in prison for a rape case.
Alves was released on bail pending appeal and left Brians 2 prison on March 25th, after posting a bail of $1.08 million USD. According to Diario Sport, the 40-year-old former defender hosted a gathering until 5 a.m. with family and friends at his private villa in the Esplugues de Llobregat district, Barcelona, a day later.
Alves was accused of raping a 23-year-old woman in a nightclub in Barcelona in December 2022, and was arrested a month later. In February 2024, the court sentenced the former Barca star to four and a half years in prison. Subsequently, Alves was released on bail pending appeal, but had to surrender his Spanish and Brazilian passports, and had to appear before the court once a week.
Alves could have been released on bail sooner if he had come up with the $1.08 million bail. According to lawyer Ines Guardiola, the defendant has two bank accounts in Spain, one with no balance and another with $55,000, while the judicially seized amount is $54,000.
Alves was once believed to have assets worth $60 million, but his accounts in Brazil were frozen due to issues with his ex-wife Dinorah Santana. The former player is expected to receive $11.6 million after his tax lawyer Fernando Mota won four lawsuits against the Spanish tax authorities. The bail hearing for Alves also noted that the defendant would receive “a large sum” from the treasury.
Neymar’s father was reportedly going to help Alves pay the bail, but later denied it due to pressure from Brazil. The representative of former teammate Memphis Depay also denied that his client would cover the bail. “That is fake news and completely untrue,” representative Sebastien Ledure told Informativos Telecinco.
Alves’ ex-wife, Santana, was among those who opposed Alves’ release on bail. The mother of two initially stood by Alves, but later claimed to feel exploited. “For me, he doesn’t exist. For me, he’s dead,” Santana said on Spanish television.
Alves has won 43 titles, including three Champions League trophies, six La Liga titles with Barca, and two UEFA Cups with Sevilla. He also won two Copa America titles with the Brazilian national team and the 2021 Olympic gold medal with the U23 team. In his generation, Alves was considered the best right-back in the world.