Lionel Messi is not the first celebrity accused of tax fraud, but that doesn't make the terrible news from Barcelona easier to digest. It's like telling the kids-and I'm among the millions around the globe wearing the FC Barcelona jersey with his name and number-that Christmas has been cancelled because Santa is a drunk. Actually it's worse, because if a judge determines that the prosecutor's accusations that Messi and his father Jorge have defrauded the Spanish Hacienda of more than $5 million by failing to report income of more than $10 million on commercial contracts for the rights to his image from 2007 to 2009, well that judge could send the world's greatest football player to jail from two to six years (along with forcing him to pay back taxes and a hefty penalty). Sounds absurd, but it's possible, if not probable.
The tragedy here is that Messi's image, which has nothing to do with his nonpareil skills but is part of the marketing package that has made him the biggest global
name in sports, has carefully been crafted and promoted as that of a simple, humble kid, a family man, a honest citizen. How do you then explain the kids, if the allegations are true, that the best and most beloved football player in the world (yes, Kenneth) is a tax cheat? You can't explain. You're speechless, dumfounded, you need an explanation yourself.
You can only hope that he didn't know, that he did not actively participate in his father's alleged shenanigans which, we're told, were initiated in 2005, when Leo was still a minor. Whe n Messi made Barça's first team after going through its youth academy (La Masia) Jorge hired Rodolfo Schinocca , a former Boca Juniors player, now handling the affairs of Uruguayan star Diego Forlan, as his son's agent. Together they set up the alleged scheme, creating shell companies in tax havens like Uruguay and Belize, from where the money paid by commercial partners (Adidas, FC Barcelona, Pepsi-Cola, etc.) were forwarded to Jorge and Schinocca through companies in Great Britain and Switzerland.
Messi Sr. fired Schinocca in 2006 accusing him of embezzling money. The agent took them to court, but the Messis won. It is unclear if findings in the court battles against the former agent helped the Spanish prosecutor file the 13-page complaint, or if a revengeful ex-rep "contributed" in any way in building the case against Messi and his father. Fact is, according to prosecutor Raquel Amado , that Jorge maintained the shell companies structure set in place by Schinocca through 2009, just changing the names: Sports Consultants Ltd, Sports Enterprises Ltd and Lazario Gmbh became Jenbril, SA, Sidefloor Ltd and Tubal Soccer Management Ltd, respectively.
Undoubtedly Lionel Messi knew money was coming in. Now a major, undoubtedly he signed papers, contracts, agreements. But did he really know how much money he was making in a year, when and how much was coming in and how much was reported on tax forms, was he ever involved in filing a tax return? Very unlikely.
The case reminds of a similar situation involving another famous athlete, former German tennis starSteffi Graf, now Mrs. Andre Agassi. In 1997 her father (and manager) Peter was sentenced to almost four years in prison for tax evasion on some of his daughter's tennis earnings. Steffi was exonerated because it was determined she was not actively involved in perpetrating the fraud.
The allegations against Messi, who denies any wrongdoing, have yet to be proven in court, but the details in the complaint offer enough reasons for serious concern. You have to ask yourself why would a prosecutor in Barcelona fabricate a case against Messi when FC Barcelona is one of Catalonia's main economic engines? On the other hand, if there's smoke, there's usually a fire. Unfortunately, one cannot fire his dad.
Vladimir Moraru played soccer for 15 years and has watched it for 60. He hasn't seen a player like Messi and a team like FC Barcelona.
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