Juan Soler, president of the Valencia soccer club from 2004 to 2008, has been charged with attempted kidnapping of his successor Vicente Soriano. Soler had hired kidnappers to take Soriano hostage and force him to pay money owed to Soler.
The pair fell out in 2008 when Soriano backed out of a deal to buy Soler’s shares of the team, to the tune of 39 million euros. In 2013, the Spanish Supreme Court ordered Soriano to pay the debt, but he dallied in payment, so Soler took matters into his own hands, reports ESPN FC.
Soler left the club presidency after pushing for a second stadium. The club could not afford to build it and the real estate bubble burst, leaving them unable to sell the land. Soriano was forced out of the presidency by bankers after only one year.
The club is currently up for sale to the highest bidder.