Lionel Messi is set to stand trial over tax fraud after his appeal was thrown out, report El País.
It is alleged that Messi’s image rights were sold by his father and agent Jorge using companies in Belize and Uruguay to avoid Spanish tax obligations.
The charges, which the footballer and his father have consistently denied, related to alleged tax evasion to the tune of €4 million payable on image rights income between 2007 and 2009, during which time Messi had contracts with companies including Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Danone and Proctor and Gamble among others.
Back in October, Spain’s public prosecutor argued that Jorge was responsible for the family’s finances and not the four-time World Player of the Year.
A court in Barcelona decided, however, Messi could have known about and approved the creation of a web of shell companies that were allegedly used to evade taxes due on income from image rights.
Messi appealed that decision but his new appeal has now been thrown out.
The club’s all-time record goalscorer and his father made a voluntary payment of €5m to Spanish authorities in 2014.
