Messi in Court today over Tax Evasion Charges
Argentina and Barceloina footballer Lionel Messi and his father will appear in a Spanish court today to face charges of tax fraud.
Messi and and his father, Jorge, are accused of evading €4.2m (£3.4m) in tax on earnings made from endorsements from his principal sponsors – Adidas, PepsiCo and Proctor & Gamble – and a number of other companies.
The prosecution alleges that they set up shell companies in Uruguay and Belize to avoid paying tax in Spain. Both men deny the charges, saying the deals were done by Messi’s former agent without their knowledge. The alleged crimes took place between 2006 and 2009.
Fan favourite,Messi, who is also world player of the year four times, and his father will be questioned in a closed session in a court in Gava, Barcelona,where Messi lives.
Messi has paid back €5m (£4.2m) to the Spanish state, but this has not prevented the prosecution: the government has cracked down on tax evasion, with the country in financial crisis. The hearing on Friday will determine whether the court will pursue them for alleged tax evasion.
Messi and his father deny these charges, saying in a statement: “We have always fulfilled our tax obligations following the advice of our tax consultants who will take care of clarifying this situation.”
