Brazilian national football team player Neymar da Silva Santos Junior has been fined by local authorities for disregarding a cease order on an unauthorized construction project at his suburban residence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
On the 22nd, authorities announced the discovery of “various violations of environmental regulations” at Neymar’s luxury villa in Mangaratiba, located 130 kilometers from Rio de Janeiro, where workers were building an artificial lake and beach without permission. At that point, the player was already facing a fine of at least 5 million Reals (approximately 956,000 EUR).
Authorities ordered the site to be sealed off and all activities to be halted. However, according to domestic media, Neymar instead threw a party at the location and swam in the lake.
On the same day, Mangaratiba City announced that an environmental inspector witnessed “activities” at the site that violated the prohibition order and committed further environmental violations. Neymar is expected to pay an additional fine, the total amount of which will be determined after the completion of an investigation scheduled to conclude next week.
The inspector confirmed that within the construction project, Neymar had conducted everything without authorization, including diverting watercourses, extracting soil, stones, and rocks, and even using beach sand.
Neymar, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France’s Ligue 1, purchased this residence in 2016. According to local media, the property spans approximately 10,000 square meters and features facilities such as a helipad, spa, and gym.