The Barcelona and Argentina footballer Lionel Messi "goes on trial on Tuesday on charges of defrauding Spain" of €4.1M ($4.6M) in unpaid taxes, according to Stephen Burgen of the London GUARDIAN. The court in Barcelona "will hear that Messi and his father, Jorge Horacio Messi, who manages his financial affairs, used tax havens in Belize and Uruguay" to conceal €10.1M earned in image rights from '07 to '09. The Spanish tax agency is "demanding the payment" of a fine equivalent to the €4.1M allegedly defrauded and a sentence of 22 months and 15 days for both Messi and his father. The case centers on the alleged unlawful activities of Messi’s father, but authorities have said that "the Barcelona player knew enough to also be named in the case." Charges previously brought "were dropped on the grounds that Messi has no personal involvement in his financial affairs." The trial is expected to last three days, "with Messi expected to give testimony on Thursday." The two "deny any wrongdoing." Messi has insisted all along that "he has no knowledge of his financial dealings." His father has backed this up and said that "the only thing my son does is play football" (GUARDIAN, 5/30).
