Lionel Messi to face court trial for alleged tax evasion

Lionel Messi is to face a court trial for alleged tax evasion after a judge rejected the Barcelona star's appeal in Spain.

The four-time Ballon d'Or winner and his father, Jorge Messi, are accused of withholding about £3.4million in unpaid taxes between 2007 and 2009.

The Spanish judge's statement read: 'In this type of crime, it is not necessary for someone to have complete knowledge of all the accounting and business operations nor the exact quantity, rather it is sufficient to be aware of the designs to commit fraud and consent to them.' 

Messi had hoped to avoid having to appear in court because his father manages his income. 

Now he must sit in the dock alongside his father and answer questions relating the failure to pay tax in Spain between 2007-09 on various sponsorship deals, by diverting revenue through companies in England, Switzerland and Uruguay. 

In July, Spain's public prosecutor recommended charges be dismissed against the 27-year-old, arguing Messi was not responsible for his family's finances, as that was his father's duty.

If a court decides that he was party to the wilful avoidance of tax he will face a large fine and could even face a suspended prison sentence.

Messi made a payment of about £8m to the Spanish tax man last year to head off further problems relating to years tax 2010 and 2011, and paid the £10.2m owed on his image rights and the £9.4m owed on his salary on time for the last tax year. 

(dailymail.co.uk)

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