Former Barcelona defender Dani Alves has been released from prison after posting his €1m (£850,000) bail bond.
Alves was found guilty of rape and sentenced to four years and six months in prison last month but he has now been released from jail while he appeals his conviction after posting his €1m bail bond. Per the Daily Mail, he has also handed in his Spanish and Brazilian passports, so as not to be deemed a flight risk. Alves has walked free after 14 months in jail after being first imprisoned in January 2023.
📹 Así ha sido la salida de Dani Alves de prisión, después de haber reunido un millón de euros para pagar su fianza
🎧Ahora, el futbolista esperará en libertad la revisión de su condena por agresión sexual
📱@COPE_Catalunya pic.twitter.com/hA1KaU8baL
— COPE (@COPE) March 25, 2024
Alves was informed that he could leave prison last week but was unable to pay the bail bond; he has now done so, with his lawyer subsequently claiming that he had been left penniless. However, he is set to receive a payout from Spain’s tax agency – Alves is owed €9.2m (£7.9m/$10m) – which may explain why the bail can now be paid. There had been reports that Neymar’s family would be involved in helping Alves pay, but they have since released a statement claiming that is not the case.
Alves’ ex-wife Dinorah Santana has distanced herself almost completely from the former Brazil star, telling Spanish television: “For me, he doesn’t exist. For me, he has died.”
Alves has now been released and will have to wait to see if his appeal is successful.
GOAL
