Given Spain’s current economic conditions, everyone is getting watched a bit more closely, and it seems the taxman has turned his attention to the Argentine star.
Lionel Messi looks like he might be in a bit of trouble with the taxman after an investigation was launched into his income between the years 2007 and 2009.
The Department of Public Prosecution in Barcelona are chasing both Messi and his father Jorge Horacio Messi for a fee believed to be in the region of €4 million for not declaring their image rights during those years.
According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, the taxman is claiming that the Barcelona superstar evaded the tax through a business scheme which allowed him to withhold paying some part of his personal income tax (IRPF).
Messi, for his part, denied the allegations on his Facebook page, stating that he only learned about the action from the newspapers himself, and that he and his father have “always fulfilled all our tax obligations”.
Barcelona themselves have refused to comment, stating that they believe it to be a personal matter and nothing to do with the club.
Hat tip to Darren for sending this in
