Prosecutors in the Italian city of Naples said that they are "carrying out a countrywide investigation" into an alleged $13M tax evasion scandal involving football players, their agents and a number of football clubs, according to Giovanni Legorano of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Prosecutors said that police on Tuesday morning "raided the offices and houses of 58 people allegedly involved in the scandal." The police were looking for cash, real estate and financial assets "in the hope of reclaiming the total sum allegedly evaded." Prosecutors say the tax evasion "was perpetrated when players were traded between clubs." They allege that agents charged false invoices to football clubs, "claiming to be acting in the interests of those clubs rather than the players." Those owners were able to deduct the invoiced amounts as costs from their taxable revenue (WSJ, 1/26). GAZZETTA WORLD's Jeremy Klayman reported AC Milan VP Adriano Galliani, Napoli Owner Aurelio De Laurentiis and Lazio President Claudio Lotito "are among those being investigated for alleged tax evasion." Galliani, De Laurentiis and Lotito have been named as suspects, along with the likes of Modena coach Hernan Crespo and Paris St. Germain winger Ezequiel Lavezzi (GAZZETTA WORLD, 1/26). ESPN's Ben Gladwell reported authorities raided AC Milan's HQ on Tuesday morning as part of an investigation. Casa Milan was searched by members of the Guardia di Finanza, "with documents and assets seized." The investigation, which goes by the name "Fuorigioco" (Offside) is examining suspected tax evasion by 35 clubs from Italy's Serie A and Serie B. It is being conducted by the Naples public prosecutor, led by Danilo De Simone, Stefano Capuano and Vincenzo Ranieri. The raid on Milan's HQ is reported to be "only the first part of the operation" (ESPN, 1/26).
