The Spanish tax is harder to dribble than the Liga defenses. And Lionel Messi, the Argentine genius learned it at his expense. The Supreme Court of Spain upheld the conviction of 21 months in prison for Lionel Messi and 15 months for his father Jorge for tax crimes. The court did not accede to the appeal filed by the Argentine. The court also confirmed the fine of 2.1 million euros imposed on the footballer.
The tax authorities reproach them for not having declared 10 million euros corresponding to image rights for the years 2007 to 2009 and thus escaped a tax of 4.16 million.
The court held that it was proved that the five-time “Ballon d’Or” and his father had set up a network of companies in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Belize and Uruguay to collect the rights to the image of the footballer without declaring them to the tax authorities. Between 2007 and 2009, Messi had signed contracts with Adidas, Pepsi or Danone, but never in a personal capacity, instead using screen companies.
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| Lionel Messi |
With such a verdict, it seems difficult to prepare serenely the final of the King’s Cup, for the Blaugranas Saturday night against Alaves. It is in this perspective that the Catalan club took care to spare his star by informing him of his “total support” in this case also involving his father Jorge, who in turn took 15 months in prison. “FC Barcelona reiterates its full support to the player, his father and his family,” said FCB spokesman Josep Vives.
br />“President Josep Maria Bartomeu has contacted Jorge Messi and all his family to repeat all his support,” he said. The family has been very grateful not only for the gesture of today, but also for the fact that they have received this support throughout this trial. The club, because it can not be otherwise, will continue to support the player, his father and his family. “The response of the five-time Ballon d’Or, who has not responded to this condemnation, is expected on the ground.
