Sport
Messi could face six years in jail if found guilty of £3.4m tax fraud
Lionel Messi has been accused of tax fraud to the tune of £3.4million. And reports in Spain suggest the Barcelona superstar could face up to six years in jail if he is found guilty, the Daily Mail reports.
A lawsuit was lodged against the Barcelona forward and his father by a state prosecutor for the north eastern region of Catalonia.
The complaint has been submitted for trial in Gava, the upscale Barcelona district where the 25-year-old lives.
Both Messi and his father, Jorge Horacio, are accused of three offences against the public purse for allegedly defrauding more than £3.4m in income tax returns relating to the years 2007, 2008 and 2009.
A judge at the courthouse must accept the prosecutor’s lawsuit before charges can be brought.