A lawyer and two sisters of the late Argentine football player Diego Maradona have been found guilty of fraud, La Nacion reported.
Sources familiar with the matter told La Nacion that Maradona’s lawyer Matías Morla and two sisters Rita and Claudia illegally managed the footballer’s brand. The court ruled to seize $1.34 million from them without custody.
Following Maradona’s death in November 2020, his daughters Dalma and Gianinna demanded that the late player’s management designate to them as his heirs. However, the company Sattvica SA, controlled by Morla, declined the claim, stating that it is the owner of the brand. Allegedly, Maradona himself transferred the rights to the company during his lifetime.
The Argentine court did not side with the lawyer and sisters, ruling that the brand was controlled by Maradona himself before his death. Therefore, the relevant rights should be transferred to his children as legitimate heirs.
The legal procedure started in 2021. Maradona’s daughters initially lost their case at the first instance, but they successfully appealed the decision to the appellate court.
Maradona died on Nov. 25, 2020, at the age of 60. He was under home care after brain surgery, suffered from cardiovascular problems and, according to the official conclusion, died of acute heart failure, which caused pulmonary edema.
Shortly after his death, an investigation was launched into the doctors who treated him. Experts concluded that Maradona’s chances of survival would have been higher if he had received proper care at a specialized clinic.
During his professional career, Maradona played for Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli. As a member of the Argentine national team, he became a world champion in 1986 and a runner-up in 1990.
