Neymar has €42.5 million in assets frozen after alleged tax evasion

Neymar is the latest Barcelona phenom to be involved in a tax-related scandal.

The Tribunal Regional Federal da 3a Regiao, seated in Sao Paulo, Brazil, froze R$188.8 million (€42.5 million, $48 million) in assets belonging to Neymar, his family, and related businesses on Friday. The court alleges that Neymar evaded R$63 million (€14.2 million, $15.9 million) in Brazilian taxes.

Judge Carlos Muta claimed that Neymar only declared assets worth R$19.6 million (€4.4 million, $4.9 million), according to a statement seen by the Associated Press (AP).

Iagaro Jung Martins, an auditor with Brazil's federal tax agency, says Neymar is likely to avoid jail if he pays the owed amount.

"He will be able to discuss the frozen assets in a civil court," Martins told AP. "But legislation in Brazil isn't too harsh. If Neymar pays what he owes, he is very likely to be free from any other punishment."

Of course, this isn't the only legal trouble concerning Neymar.

Back in May, a Spanish judge leading a probe into the real cost of Neymar's controversial transfer from Santos ruled that there's enough evidence to try Barcelona for alleged tax evasion.

Related: Spanish judge orders Barcelona to stand trial over Neymar transfer

Barcelona insists it paid no more than €57 million for Neymar. However, the case's first investigating magistrate, Pablo Ruz, says Neymar cost €83 million, and alleges the Catalan club hid the real price in a tangle of contracts.

Teammate Lionel Messi is also in the midst of a tax-related issue. He's set to stand trial after allegedly defrauding the Spanish Tax Agency of €4.1 million in income tax.