I3 Ventures

Also known as: I3 Ventures

Jurisdiction: Spain

Social-media firm paid €980,000 by FC Barcelona (a PwC audit found the fee above a €120,000–150,000 market range) in the matter that became "Barçagate". The alleged smear-campaign motive is reported, unverified and denied.

Timeline appearances

2021-03-01Barcelona business & personal taxClassification: Confirmed fact
Catalan police search FC Barcelona offices and detain former president Bartomeu and executives in "Barçagate" (I3 Ventures) inquiry

Claims

Classification: Not independently verifiedNot independently verified: That FC Barcelona (Bartomeu) commissioned I3 Ventures specifically to run a smear campaign against Lionel Messi and Gerard Piqué to pressure Messi into signing a new contract.

Relationships

FC Barcelona → I3 Ventures (€980,000 social-media contract) — FC Barcelona
contract · Documentary

Sources

Independent sources:: 2
Total references:: 2

Established wire or investigative reporting

Cadena SER (Què T'hi Jugues / El Larguero) — the I3 Ventures reporting

Cadena SER · 2020-02-17

Not foundesIndependent source

Supports

b7398028-aef8-5d72-8392-4281d3ebf5b2
4798955c-12ce-52e3-9e4c-8408918c8b15

The single origin of the smear-campaign characterization, based on leaked documents obtained by Cadena SER. No URL captured in the research record; access state not established.

Secondary reporting

Barçagate: the case that led to the arrest of former Barcelona president Bartomeu

Football España · 2021-03-01

RetrievedenIndependent source

Supports

b7398028-aef8-5d72-8392-4281d3ebf5b2
4798955c-12ce-52e3-9e4c-8408918c8b15

Explicit limitations

Final judicial disposition of the I3 Ventures case.