Al-Thani family Málaga CF investigation

Rakan Al-Thani, a member of the Qatari family involved in the management of Málaga CF, was detained at Munich Airport on September 12 while attempting to board a flight to Doha. The arrest follows an international warrant issued by Spanish authorities targeting Rakan and several family members, including his father, Abdullah Al-Thani, and his brothers, Nasser and Nayef.

The investigation involves allegations of misappropriation, unfair administration, forgery, and fraud related to the family’s management of the football club. Authorities allege that approximately 7.3 million euros were extracted through shell companies to cover irregular expenses such as private travel, luxury vehicles, and a failed marina project in Marbella. These alleged diversions occurred between 2012 and 2019 and contributed to the club’s financial decline.

Following his detention, Al-Thani has been held in a Bavarian prison as German authorities process a European Arrest Warrant for his extradition to Spain. To facilitate this process, the Málaga court has requested that the European Arrest Warrant be translated into German. Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of up to 14.5 years for the family members involved in the case.