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Messi to face tax evasion trial

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7th Oct 2014
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Barcelona and Argentina football star Lionel Messi is to face a tax evasion trial in Spain, a judge recently ruled.

According to BBC News, the judge rejected a recommendation from the prosecution to drop charges based on their assertion that his father Jorge Horacio was responsible for his finances.

In the long running legal saga, Messi and his father stand accused of defrauding Spanish tax authorities of €4m (£3.1m) between 2007 and 2009.

Both men deny any wrongdoing. 

The alleged evasion relates to Messi's image rights. He and Jorge are suspected of evading paying Spanish tax by using companies in countries such as Uruguay to sell rights to use the footballer's image. 

The BBC quoted the judge as saying: 

"In this type of crime, it is not necessary for someone to have complete knowledge of all the accounting and business operations nor the exact quantity, rather it is sufficient to be aware of the designs to commit fraud and consent to them."

In 2013, the pair made a €5m payment which included the unpaid tax and interest.

The two men have five days to appeal the ruling. We'll be keeping an eye on this story as it develops. 

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