The verdict has been delivered in the seismic case between the Premier League and Manchester City.
City was found guilty of nearly all of the 115 financial charges laid by the Premier League, the competition said Tuesday in an explosive statement.
City faces a severe punishment, potentially even expulsion from the world's most popular league, but has vowed to appeal.
Here is a timeline of events in one of the biggest scandals in English soccer history:
November — German outlet Der Spiegel publishes internal emails from City which it claimed detailed schemes by the club to allegedly cover up true sources of income in a bid to comply with financial fair play regulations. The information published by Der Spiegel was unearthed by the “Football Leaks” website, whose founder is Rui Pinto — a Portuguese computer hacker. City did not dispute the authenticity of any emails but said it would not be providing comment on “out-of-context materials purportedly hacked or stolen from City Football Group and Manchester City personnel and associated people.” City said it is an “organized and clear” attempt to damage its reputation. UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, starts to conduct a review of the case, which also sparks a Premier League investigation.
March 7 — As Der Spiegel continues to publish internal City documents from “Football Leaks,” UEFA opens a formal investigation into whether the club violated financial rules. City says it welcomes the opening of the investigation, adding it is “an opportunity to bring to an end the speculation resulting from the illegal hacking and out-of-context publication of City emails.”
May 14 — City says the club has provided “comprehensive proof” that it did not break financial regulations and that the accusations are “entirely false.” It came as reports say City has not been cooperating with investigators and is facing a one-season ban from the Champions League for violating financial monitoring rules.
Feb. 14 — City is banned from the Champions League for two seasons by UEFA for “serious breaches” of spending rules and failing to cooperate with investigators. City also is fined 30 million euros (then $33 million). City says UEFA’s investigation was “flawed” and announces plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
July 13 — City successfully overturns its ban from the Champions League after CAS upholds the club’s appeal, saying some UEFA allegations were not proven and others were “time-barred.” CAS imposes a 10 million euro ($11.3 million) fine on City for failing to cooperate with independent investigators.
Feb. 6 — City is referred to an independent commission by the Premier League, which alleges more than 100 breaches of financial rules by the club. City is accused of providing misleading information about its finances from 2009-18 and a subsequent failure to co-operate with the league’s investigation. City says it is “surprised” by the allegations and claims there is a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” to counter the allegations.
May 24 — City wins the Premier League for a fifth time in six seasons and manager Pep Guardiola says he wants the financial charges to be dealt with “as soon as possible.”
Sept. 11 — Rui Pinto is given a suspended prison sentence of four years after being convicted by a Lisbon court of nine crimes: five counts of unauthorized entry into computer systems, three counts of intercepting correspondence for accessing emails, and one count of attempted extortion. During his trial, Pinto admitted to being behind the information published on the website that was set up in 2015 but argued he is a whistleblower, not a criminal.
Sept. 16 — An independent commission, comprising three judges, begins the hearing into the Premier League charges against City at a secret location in London.
Dec. 6 — The hearing ends after 12 weeks, with no announcement over the expected date for the verdict.
Sept. 25 — The Athletic reports that City has been found guilty of all but one of the charges laid by the Premier League.
Sept. 29 — The Premier League releases the verdict of the independent commission, confirming City is guilty of “all charges related to the serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period and the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the league’s investigation.” The league says the commission found that City ”clearly intended to circumvent" the financial rules with what it described as “sham” contracts whose purpose were “found to have been to artificially inflate the club’s revenues, and reduce its costs, by more than £900 million.” City says it is innocent and will be “relentless” as the club pursues avenues to appeal.
___
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
