Leo Messi, World Footballer of the year, has come out to deny being involved in the Panama scandal. His whole family denied the allegations on Tuesday that he was involved in the Panama tax evasion scandal after the forward was named as one of the key figures accused of shady offshore dealings in the Panama Papers Scandal.
The family said via a statement: “The Messi family wants to make clear that Lionel Messi has not carried out any of the acts attributed to him, and accusations he created a tax evasion plot, including a network of money laundering, are false and insulting. The Panama Company to which they refer to is a totally inactive company that never had any funds or any open current accounts.”
The Panama papers scandal broke out on Monday when a collation of media groups released a year-long worldwide investigation into documents leaked from a Panama-based law firm. The scandal named several key individuals and society elites involved in shady offshore financial dealings.
Others accused include close allies of Vladmir Putin – the Russian president, Iceland’s Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, family members of Chinese president Xi Jinping.
Leo Messi and his father were named as owners of a panama company not previously disclosed during the tax probe by the Spanish government. Leo and his father have been charged with tax fraud for failing to declare assets, through front companies totaling up to USD 4.74 million.
Barcelona has published an official statement in support of the star player which reads: “The club supports the arguments which the Messi family published in a statement today. Since the very first moment that the ‘Panama papers’ which accuse Leo Messi were released, FC Barcelona has sent its affection and support to the player and to his whole family. The Club makes all of its judicial means, fiscal and administrative, at the family’s disposal in order to make his actions and honor clear in this case.”