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Lionel Messi appears in Spanish court over tax fraud | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi and his father have arrived at a Spanish court to face tax fraud allegations. | |
The 26-year-old Argentine, four times Fifa World Player of the Year, and his father Jorge Messi are accused of defrauding the authorities of more than 4m euros ($5.4m; £3.4m). | |
They are suspected of using companies abroad - in Belize and Uruguay - to sell the rights to use Messi's image. | They are suspected of using companies abroad - in Belize and Uruguay - to sell the rights to use Messi's image. |
They both deny the allegations, which date back to 2007-09. | They both deny the allegations, which date back to 2007-09. |
'Tougher line' | 'Tougher line' |
The striker gave a thumbs up as he arrived at the court in Gava - the affluent Barcelona district where he lives. | |
Messi and his father are being questioned in a closed-court session. They are accused of three counts of defrauding the Spanish state of taxes. | |
The income related to Messi's image rights included contracts with Banco Sabadell, Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Proctor and Gamble, and the Kuwait Food Company. | The income related to Messi's image rights included contracts with Banco Sabadell, Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Proctor and Gamble, and the Kuwait Food Company. |
In August, Jorge Messi made a payment of 5m euros to the tax authorities - the 4.16m euros of the alleged unpaid tax plus interest. | |
But state prosecutors are still pursuing the case - as the tax authorities are taking a much tougher line as a result of Spain's economic crisis, reports the BBC's Tom Burridge in Madrid. | But state prosecutors are still pursuing the case - as the tax authorities are taking a much tougher line as a result of Spain's economic crisis, reports the BBC's Tom Burridge in Madrid. |
Earlier, Messi stated that he and and his father "have never committed any infringement. We have always fulfilled all our tax obligations". | |
'Humble' | |
Messi's net salary from Barcelona is said to be about 16m euros a year, making him one of the world's most highly-paid sportspeople. | Messi's net salary from Barcelona is said to be about 16m euros a year, making him one of the world's most highly-paid sportspeople. |
He has also signed multi-million-dollar endorsements with commercial sponsors around the world. | He has also signed multi-million-dollar endorsements with commercial sponsors around the world. |
Messi's achievements on the field have made him one of the most marketable in the business. | Messi's achievements on the field have made him one of the most marketable in the business. |
He came from a modest background and has overcome a serious health issue, joining Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000 and making his first-team debut only three years later. | He came from a modest background and has overcome a serious health issue, joining Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2000 and making his first-team debut only three years later. |
But the allegations are a big blow to the prestige of the player, who has long been seen as a more humble figure than most top-class footballers. |