7 People Charged with Homicide in the Death of Argentine Soccer Star Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona.Photo: Demian Alday Estevez/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Seven people have been charged with “simple homicide with eventual intent” in the death of Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona.

Maradona died from heart failure on Nov. 25, 2020, two weeks after he underwent brain surgery,ESPN,The AthleticandAgence France-Pressereport.

Shortly after his death, audio of private conversations between doctors and people on Maradona’s team were leaked that suggested he had not been properly cared for before his death.

The report said that the final hours of Maradona’s life was full of pain as he had become gravely ill and was dying without proper care.

“He presented unequivocal signs of a prolonged agonizing period, so we conclude that the patient was not properly monitored from 12:30 a.m. on 11/25/2020,” the report stated.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Maradona’s neurosurgeon — who performed the brain operation on him two weeks prior to his death — and his psychiatrist have been charged, as well as two nurses, a nurse coordinator, a doctor and a psychologist.

Mark Leech/Offside/Getty Images

The suspects will testify on May 31. If found guilty, they could face between eight and 25 years in prison. It was not immediately clear if they’ve entered pleas or retained attorneys to comment on their behalf.

source: people.com