Spanish authorities accuse Messi of tax fraud

beer enigma

Breaking news on BBC - apparently relating to Messi and his father in the region of €4m, small fry really......

https://twitter.com/bbcbreaking/status/344804858915872768

Eurosport :
World Player of the Year Messi and his father Jorge allegedly filed fraudulent tax returns for the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, according to a spokesman for the prosecutor's office for tax crimes in Catalonia.

jmayo

Obviously the tax officals and prosecutors office is full of Espanyol and Real fans.

GavRedKing

Awaits Andersonisgod response.............

intellectual dosser

A good few media sites carrying this but none with any more information than above.

It needs more context, I'm inclined to think its a 'mix up' between assets in Argentina and Spain....

jmayo

GavRedKing wrote: »

Awaits Andersonisgod response.............

Well I reckon he will claim Messi is the best tax defaulter in the world to go with all the other bests in the world that make up Barca.

Andersonisgod

I think we are all jumping to conclusions too quickly. Guilty until proven innocent, we don't know the facts of the case, the context or anything. Let's wait until some facts and details are released and Messi is given the chance to respond.

GLaDOS

Could be a mistake on his part, 4m is probably so little to him he genuinely didn't notice!

riffmongous

I'd give him the benefit of the doubt for now, since it was only from 2006-2009.

Francie Barrett

Between his wages, sponsorship and endorsements, I'd say €4 million is about 2 months pay to Messi.

intellectual dosser

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I think we are all jumping to conclusions too quickly. Guilty until proven innocent, we don't know the facts of the case, the context or anything. Let's wait until some facts and details are released and Messi is given the chance to respond.

Did you mean innocent until proven guilty?

Andersonisgod

intellectual dosser wrote: »

Did you mean innocent until proven guilty?

Haha I just re-read that there and laughed, I'm flustered dammit, I'm already preparing the "free Messi" picket signs.

SlickRic

you wouldn't catch Ronaldo doing that.

tut tut.

Jax Teller

All going to go down hill for him now . Wouldn't surprise me to see him playing Sunday league football in a year or 2 .

beer enigma

"consisted of simulating the assignment of image rights to front companies based in tax havens [Belize, Uruguay] and, at the same time, formalising contracts of licensing, agency or benefit from services between these companies, and other such instruments domiciled in convenient jurisdictions [the UK, Switzerland]. This was done with the intended and successful aim that the incomes would move from countries where the companies or entities were based, to companies domiciled in tax havens, without being submitted to any taxation and, furthermore, with total opacity towards the Spanish Tax Authorities.

More here:

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1474775/report-barcelona-lionel-messi-served-tax-complaint?cefewfdewfdew#&cc=5739

jmayo

Andip wrote: »

"consisted of simulating the assignment of image rights to front companies based in tax havens [Belize, Uruguay] and, at the same time, formalising contracts of licensing, agency or benefit from services between these companies, and other such instruments domiciled in convenient jurisdictions [the UK, Switzerland]. This was done with the intended and successful aim that the incomes would move from countries where the companies or entities were based, to companies domiciled in tax havens, without being submitted to any taxation and, furthermore, with total opacity towards the Spanish Tax Authorities...

Yet more simulation from a Barca player.
Quel surprise.

BTW According to BBC ...

On Wednesday, a complaint signed by prosecutor Raquel Amado was filed at the courthouse in Gava - the affluent Barcelona district where Messi is a resident.

Judges at the courthouse must first accept the complaint before the suspects can be charged, reports say.

They should have lodged the papers in Madrid.
Just for a laugh like.

First we had mick wallace and now Messi.
Where is it all going to end ?

Klim

GavRedKing wrote: »

Awaits Andersonisgod response.............

Anderson is a Barca fan???? You sure?

Israeli Superiority

Messi is the sole reason why Spain's economy is fúcked. Damn you to Hell, Messi, damn you to Hell.

Thecon21

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I think we are all jumping to conclusions too quickly. Guilty until proven innocent, we don't know the facts of the case, the context or anything. Let's wait until some facts and details are released and Messi is given the chance to respond.

This was a joke response to GavRedKing's earlier comment yes?

Your Airbag

If he just listed 10 dependents on his tax forms he could have avoided all that foreign account illegality.

DM_7

If he doesn't want to pay tax he should head for Monaco.

MaroonAndGreen

Could he face prison?

ctrl-alt-delete

Should be stripped of all the medals he won while avoiding tax, better still auction them off to pay what he owes!

I would do the same if I thought I could get away with it.

Cypher_sounds

I see some reports in Spain that Messi has been summoned to appear in a Barcelona court on Sept.17th for tax evasion. Lets see how he dodges this defence.

Thecon21

Messi and his father have been charged.

Israeli Superiority

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22987229

A Spanish judge has summoned Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi to appear in court on 17 September over tax fraud allegations.

The 25-year-old Argentine, who has four times been named World Player of the Year, and his father are accused of defrauding the Spanish authorities of more than 4m euros (£3.4m).

They are suspected of using companies abroad - in Belize and Uruguay - to sell the rights to use Messi's image.

They both deny the allegations.

Messi's net salary from Barcelona is said to be about 16m euros a year, making him one of the world's most highly-paid sportspeople.

He has also signed multi-million-dollar endorsements with commercial sponsors around the world.

The player and his father, Jorge, are accused of three times defrauding the Spanish state of taxes.

The income related to his image rights included contracts with Banco Sabadell, Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Proctor and Gamble and the Kuwait Food Company.

If he is convicted, Messi could face up to six years in prison and a big fine, according to Spain's Efe news agency.

He wrote on his Facebook page, after the allegations became known last week: "We have never committed any infringement. We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations."

Messi's achievements on the field have made him one of the most marketable in the business.

He came from a modest background and has overcome a serious health issue, joining Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000 and making his first-team debut only three years later.

He was ranked 10th among Forbes' list of sports stars' incomes this month.

The president of Barcelona FC, Sandro Rosell, has said the club has no doubt that the superstar is innocent of tax avoidance.

Messi is due to play a prominent role in the Adidas World Cup marketing campaign.

Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer told reporters that the company "will continue to work with Lionel. He's the best football player in the world and we are happy that we have him".

But the allegations are a big blow to the prestige of Messi, who has long been seen as a more humble figure than most top-class footballers.

AgileMyth

If he were imprisoned the Spanish government would lose out on a lot more money than he owes them currently. Soon as they find a way to save face they'll let it go.

bucketybuck

AgileMyth wrote: »

If he were imprisoned the Spanish government would lose out on a lot more money than he owes them currently. Soon as they find a way to save face they'll let it go.

By that logic they would never have brought the case in the first place.

CSF

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I think we are all jumping to conclusions too quickly. Guilty until proven innocent, we don't know the facts of the case, the context or anything. Let's wait until some facts and details are released and Messi is given the chance to respond.

I'm actually nervous as to you going off the rails if this ends up being true. Eminem Stan kinda ****.

Andersonisgod

CSF wrote: »

I'm actually nervous as to you going off the rails if this ends up being true. Eminem Stan kinda ****.

Again that's a big if. Messi and his father will get the chance to defend themselves in a court of law, they will have the chance to give their side of the story and then a judgement will be made. As of now they are still innocent citizens.

Montroseee

IF he is guilty, jail time is certain given the figure involved.

Israeli Superiority

I wonder how this will affect his Player of the Year chances.

CSF

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Again that's a big if. Messi and his father will get the chance to defend themselves in a court of law, they will have the chance to give their side of the story and then a judgement will be made. As of now they are still innocent citizens.

Man, I know how the ****in criminal system works. Jesus.

CSF

Israeli Superiority wrote: »

I wonder how this will affect his Player of the Year chances.

He will have to have an absolutely phenomenal start to the 13/14 season to get it imo. Ronaldo has been absolutely lethal since January and with no major summer cup competition to sway things it would take a large swing between the 2 guys for Messi to win it this year if the voting is done on merit.

Andersonisgod

CSF wrote: »

Man, I know how the ****in criminal system works. Jesus.

I'm sure you do but some people seem to be jumping to conclusions and it's important to remind them of how the criminal systems work before they throw away the key.

CSF

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I'm sure you do but some people seem to be jumping to conclusions and it's important to remind them of how the criminal systems work before they throw away the key.

The word if has been used in almost every post. People are going to speculate about the possibilities of what might happen if he was found guilty, but it would take a very stupid man to assume guilt based entirely on accusation, and I think the thousands of threads on the soccer forum has established that there are no stupid people on this forum.

Andersonisgod

CSF wrote: »

The word if has been used in almost every post. People are going to speculate about the possibilities of what might happen if he was found guilty, but it would take a very stupid man to assume guilt based entirely on accusation, and I think the thousands of threads on the soccer forum has established that there are no stupid people on this forum.

I'm going to have to take your word for it.

bucketybuck

Andersonisgod wrote: »

As of now they are still innocent citizens.

Innocent taxpayers?

Kylo Ren

Fifa 14 cover.

DoctorGonzo08

CSF wrote: »

there are not that many stupid people on this forum.

FYP

jmayo

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Again that's a big if. Messi and his father will get the chance to defend themselves in a court of law, they will have the chance to give their side of the story and then a judgement will be made. As of now they are still innocent citizens.

Ehh I know Messi was granted Spanish citizenship at around 18 so that he could play for Barca (a bit Barry McGuiganist if you ask me), but would Daddy not be an Argentinian citizen ?

Or Perhaps they are citizens of Belize ?

Harry Palmr

BUMPO

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/03/lionel-messi-appeal-tax-fraud-rejected

Lionel Messi is set to face trial in an alleged tax fraud after his appeal against being named in the case was rejected by a judge in Barcelona.

According to AS, the appeal was rejected on the basis that the Argentina captain could have been aware of the activities of his father, Jorge Messi, who acts as the player’s representative and manages all of his financial affairs.

The appeal from Messi was on the basis that there was no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the playern and requested “the dismissal of proceedings to that effect”. The appeal was challenged by the public prosecutor with the judge ruling that was a “subjective opinion” that Messi “was on the periphery of the financial, contractual and tax management of his income”.

SuperTortoise

SlickRic wrote: »

you wouldn't catch Ronaldo doing that.

tut tut.

Indeed!

CSF

Wouldn't last long in prison

DildoFaggins

^Exactly wouldn't have Xavi and Iniesta to assist him.

ctrl-alt-delete

He will still win his case,

He has been coming out on top with a sh1t defence for years now.

Guy:Incognito

New longest yard movie on the horizon?

Agent Coulson

CSF wrote: »

Wouldn't last long in prison

I don't know he could get pretty jacked up using all those growth hormones and doing all those weights in prison.

Zico

This could end up as one of those "Better Together" bribes. If Catalonia doesn't vote for independence they'll drop the charges against Messi.

Paully D

He'll be going to trial:

https://twitter.com/RobHarris/status/652127189668888576

Agent Coulson

So Messi to threaten to leave Spain and a bidding war between PSG, City, Utd and whoever else can bankroll him next summer.

Turtwig

Considering the minefield that is Third party ownerships, player charities, tax registrations, club registrations and transfer I think the Spanish authorities deserve a great deal of kudos. Nothing like making a signature statement against one of the sport's biggests stars.

Here's hoping more players get the something noun idiom I forget around their something too. (Basically that this is just the beginning of another type of clamp down on football.)