Juventus could face points deduction amid second false accounting investigation

Remember the false accounting investigation Juventus were subject to at the end of last year? Yeah, that. Well, it’s back in the limelight, folks, and the Bianconeri could be subject to severe punishment if they’re found guilty.

An investigation into Juventus was launched by the Public Prosecutor’s Office last November regarding possible false accounting on the club’s behalf. The Bianconeri were initially accused of manipulating transfer figures to balance their books but they were cleared of any wrongdoing in February.

However, Juventus aren’t out of the clear yet.

Juventus have once again been accused of false accounting

According to Turin-based newspaper La Stampa (via Eurosport), a new accusation for false accounting has cropped up.

The Guardia di Finanza have carried out searches in various law firms in Turin, Rome and Milan with investigators hoping to clarify whether the Juventus players, in agreement with the club, decided to freeze four monthly payments during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agreement with the players, which would have been filed through private contracts, would have allowed Juventus to record a cost reduction in the 2020 and 2021 financial statements.

The prosecutors have started to question players in regards to these delayed payments. According to Calciomercato, Paulo Dybala spoke to Marco Gianoglio, Mario Bendoni and Ciro Santoriell for three hours on Thursday. Alex Sandro and Federico Bernardeschi have also been questioned, with these two players reportedly admitting that their salaries were paid at a later date after the agreed wage suspension in March 2020.

However, if the club had alerted shareholders about the delayed payments, there’s shouldn’t be an issue.

But it appears that the PPO have got something on Juve that they’re intent on discovering evidence for. If the club are found guilty, Sportmediaset (via @JuveFC) speculate that the punishment could be incredibly harsh. The club could pay a hefty fine, suffer sort of some points deduction, while the players involved could be banned for a month.