Neymar Fined $3.3m For Building Lake At Mansion

Authorities in Brazil said Monday that a prosecutor fined soccer star Neymar 16 million reais ($3.3 million) for creating a lake at his property on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro without an environmental permission.

The Mangaratiba town council fined four people for “environmental violations in the construction of an artificial lake at the player’s mansion,” according to the council secretariat.

“The sanctions total more than 16 million reais,” the statement added, referring to the amount set by the prosecutor’s office in Mangaratiba, a tourist resort about 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Rio where the Paris Saint-Germain star owns a mansion.

Among the “dozens of infractions” discovered were “carrying out work subject to environmental control without authorization,” “capturing and diversion of river water without authorization,” and “removal of land and suppression of vegetation without authorization.”

Neymar has 20 days to appeal the penalty, which was initially set at five million reais (about one million USD).

Authorities discovered many environmental infractions at the luxury property, where workers were constructing an artificial lake and beach, on June 22 after receiving complaints based on social media posts.

Authorities fenced off the area and ordered all activities to cease, but Brazilian media said that Neymar staged a party and took a swim in the lake there.

Neymar’s Brazilian press office did not respond to an AFP request for comment.

Neymar, 31, is now recovering from right ankle surgery, which he had in March in Doha.

The striker has not featured since February, and his future at PSG has been called into question.

In 2016, Neymar purchased the Mangaratiba home. According to Brazilian media, it rests on 10,000 square meters of property and includes a heliport, spa, and gym.