Convicted fraudster and ex-Benfica boss João Vale e Azevedo had another day in court this week, as the Tribunal do Comércio in Sintra officially declared him bankrupt.
According to Negócios Online, his assets in this country will now be “identified” and creditors – one of whom is claiming as much as €40 million – will “try to recuperate some part of their elevated debts”.
Explaining the news refers only to Azevedo’s assets in Portugal, news services add that identical procedures are ongoing in UK – where the former boss of Benfica, jailed for 10 years for the theft of up to €4 million from the club’s coffers, holed out for years while on the run from Portuguese justice.
Now serving time at Carregueira prison, in Sintra, Vale e Azevedo is unlikely to be smiling this week. His list of creditors is endless and includes high-profile influential people like businessman Pedro Dantas da Cunha – claiming up to €40 million according to Negócios Online, German baron Hans-Georg von Doernberg and Portuguese Armindo Nogueira – both claiming over €1 million – and the Angolan UNITA politician Isaís Samakuva, who alleges Vale e Azevedo owes him €825,000.
