Prosecutors in Bari have requested judicial liquidation proceedings for Serie C club Bari as part of an investigation into alleged financial misconduct by the De Laurentiis family. Aurelio De Laurentiis, owner of Napoli, and his son Luigi, who serves as Bari’s sole director, are under investigation for suspected false accounting and fraudulent bankruptcy.
Authorities conducted searches at the offices of both the football club and Filmauro, the family’s holding company and Bari’s sole shareholder, on Tuesday morning. The inquiry stems from an examination of financial records covering 2019 to 2025, which investigators say expose a substantial capital deficit and severe debt exposure.
Financial collapse and suspicious transfers
According to investigators, Bari reported recurring losses of approximately €30 million during the six-year period. They argue the club lacks a credible restructuring plan and survives only through extraordinary support from Filmauro, including capital injections, debt waivers and trademark revaluation. Prosecutors told Gazzetta that Bari suffers from a severe economic imbalance that threatens its continued operation.
A focal point of the investigation is the transfer of goalkeeper Elia Caprile. The Italy international arrived at Bari from Leeds United in 2022, with the Yorkshire club retaining a sell-on clause. However, when Caprile joined Napoli one year later, the deal allegedly contained no bonus for Bari on any future capital gain. Prosecutors believe that by relinquishing all rights to future economic value, Bari transferred the player’s entire worth to Napoli, thereby aggravating the club’s financial distress.
Caprile, 24, made only four competitive appearances for Napoli before loan spells at Empoli and Cagliari. He moved to Cagliari permanently last summer for €8 million.
Searches and official response
Former Bari director Ciro Polito, ex-Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli (now at Atalanta), former Napoli sporting director Mauro Meluso, and Caprile’s agent Graziano Battistini have also faced searches related to the goalkeeper’s movements. None are currently under investigation.
The De Laurentiis family released a statement expressing their reaction to the proceedings. They said they were “astonished to learn of the objections” and highlighted that an independent third-party had provided a sworn appraisal of Caprile’s value before the transaction. The family stated that Bari’s operating losses are systematically covered by ownership resources and expressed hope that proceedings “will swiftly be dismissed,” insisting they operate in full compliance with the law.
The legal scrutiny comes amid sporting decline. Bari were relegated from Serie B to Serie C during the 2025-26 campaign, adding pressure to an ownership group now facing significant questions over the club’s management.