Barcelona arrests: Ex-president Josep Maria Bartomeu among four officials detained in connection with 'Barcagate'
Police entered Barcelona's Nou Camp stadium on Monday in a search and seize operation; police say a number of arrests were made; the operation comes less than a week before the club's presidential elections take place
Former president Josep Maria Bartomeu was among four ex-Barcelona officials arrested on Monday, as the club's Nou Camp offices were also raided by Catalan police.
Current chief executive Oscar Grau, director of legal services Gomez Ponti, and advisor to the president Jaume Masferrer were the other three detained by Mossos d'Esquadra, the force confirmed to Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
Bartomeu will spend the night in the Les Corts police station, as will Masferrer, but Grau and Ponti were reportedly not detained.
Olga Tubau, lawyer of ex-Barcelona executive Jaume Masferrer, said Bartomeu and Masferrer were being treated "very well".
The operation is in connection with last year's 'Barcagate', in which club officials were accused of launching a smear campaign against current and former players, who were critical of the club and Bartomeu.
Barcelona had denied accusations that they hired and overpaid a company to make negative comments about their own players and opponents on social media in order to boost the image of senior officials. The company was accused of using fake social media accounts to discredit opposition figures when they expressed views that went against the club.
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