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Football Leaks: Ronaldo and Mourinho accused of tax avoidance | Football Leaks: Ronaldo and Mourinho accused of tax avoidance |
(35 minutes later) | |
Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho have avoided paying tax on millions of dollars of earnings by channelling money abroad, according to claims based on a huge document leak. | Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho have avoided paying tax on millions of dollars of earnings by channelling money abroad, according to claims based on a huge document leak. |
Ronaldo, the Real Madrid star, and Mourinho, the Manchester United manager, allegedly moved large sums to the British Virgin Islands. | Ronaldo, the Real Madrid star, and Mourinho, the Manchester United manager, allegedly moved large sums to the British Virgin Islands. |
The allegations are said to be based on two terrabytes of leaked information which include original contracts. | The allegations are said to be based on two terrabytes of leaked information which include original contracts. |
Ronaldo and Mourinho deny the claims. | Ronaldo and Mourinho deny the claims. |
Football agency Gestifute, which represents both men, said in a statement: "Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho are fully compliant with their tax obligations with the Spanish and British tax authorities. | |
"Any insinuation or accusation made to Cristiano Ronaldo or Jose Mourinho over the commission of a tax offence will be reported to the legal authorities and prosecuted." | |
The claims were published by an international consortium of journalists which obtained a trove of about 18 millions documents. Other top players were named in the documents. | |
The European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) consortium includes German newspaper Der Spiegel, Spain's El Mundo and the UK's Sunday Times. The consortium says it intends to publish a series of articles under the banner "Football Leaks" over the next few weeks. | The European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) consortium includes German newspaper Der Spiegel, Spain's El Mundo and the UK's Sunday Times. The consortium says it intends to publish a series of articles under the banner "Football Leaks" over the next few weeks. |
The leak comes eight months after the so-called Panama Papers lifted the lid on how the world's rich and powerful use tax havens to hide their wealth. | The leak comes eight months after the so-called Panama Papers lifted the lid on how the world's rich and powerful use tax havens to hide their wealth. |
One of the papers in the consortium, the Dutch NRC, alleges that Ronaldo moved €63.5m (£53.1m, $67.7m) to the British Virgin Islands at the end of 2014. | One of the papers in the consortium, the Dutch NRC, alleges that Ronaldo moved €63.5m (£53.1m, $67.7m) to the British Virgin Islands at the end of 2014. |
The paper says the striker received sponsorship fees which were moved via two Irish companies to the tax haven, 11 days before Spain changed an advantageous tax law. | The paper says the striker received sponsorship fees which were moved via two Irish companies to the tax haven, 11 days before Spain changed an advantageous tax law. |
The NRC says Ronaldo has so far not responded to questions asked by the consortium. | The NRC says Ronaldo has so far not responded to questions asked by the consortium. |
The leaked documents relate to the time that Mourinho spent as manager of Real Madrid, between 2010, and 2013, acccording to El Mundo. | |
The club, Ronaldo's current employer, did not respond to requests from news agencies for comment. | |
Manchester United said the allegations related to events before Mourinho's arrival at the club and so it would not comment. | |
Mourinho is reported to have moved €12m (£10m) into a Swiss account owned by a British Virgin Islands company, according to the EIC. | Mourinho is reported to have moved €12m (£10m) into a Swiss account owned by a British Virgin Islands company, according to the EIC. |
According to the reports, Friday's first batch of leaks centred on "a system" put in place by Mr Mendes, whose company has denied any wrongdoing. | According to the reports, Friday's first batch of leaks centred on "a system" put in place by Mr Mendes, whose company has denied any wrongdoing. |
His company, Gestifute, said in a statement that neither Ronaldo nor Mourinho "have been implicated in legal proceedings of the tax evasion commission in Spain". | His company, Gestifute, said in a statement that neither Ronaldo nor Mourinho "have been implicated in legal proceedings of the tax evasion commission in Spain". |
It noted it had taken legal redress against claims of tax evasion and stressed it had always acted with "the highest degree of professionalism in relations with [its] clients and authorities". | It noted it had taken legal redress against claims of tax evasion and stressed it had always acted with "the highest degree of professionalism in relations with [its] clients and authorities". |
The company accused the media consortium of operating in an "insidious" way concerning the stars' tax obligations. | The company accused the media consortium of operating in an "insidious" way concerning the stars' tax obligations. |