Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira has resigned over fraud allegations

The long time president of the Portuguese soccer champions Benfica Lisbon, Luis Filipe Vieira has resigned after his preliminary arrest on charges of fraud.

This was announced by Benfica, the former club of star player Eusebio and national player Julian Weigl (formerly Borussia Dortmund).

A week earlier, Vieira had announced that he would only be vacating his post temporarily after he was initially only to be questioned in the affair that is on everyone’s lips in Portugal under the name “Operation Red Card”. On Thursday evening, the resignation was made perfectly, the club management has temporarily taken over ex-star Rui Costa (49).

Earlier this month, investigative authorities had carried out 40 raids in the Lisbon and Braga regions in connection with major investigations. It was about dubious financial transactions totaling 100 million euros and about breach of trust, serious fraud, tax evasion and money laundering. Vieira, who had been Benfica president since 2003, had always protested his innocence.