Lionel Messi Reportedly to Sue El Mundo Over Charity Tax Fraud Allegations

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is reportedly set to take legal action against El Mundo over allegations made by the newspaper in relation to tax fraud.  

According to Cadena Cope (h/t Sport), the Messi family have released a statement in which they outline their intentions to sue the newspaper over claims made about the 28-year-old’s involvement in charity matches and accompanying tax offences.

The release, according to Sport’s article, states action taken will be in regards to an “article which appeared in the newspaper El Mundo on September 29, 2015, suggesting the FC Barcelona and Argentina player Lionel Messi committed a tax offence in relation to the charity matches organised by the Leo Messi Foundation between 2012 and 2013 under the name: Messi and friends vs. the rest of the world.”

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El Mundo, according to AS, had reported the charity, which is linked with Messi, had earned revenue on the back of the two games which were organised in 2012 and 2013, and they were part-arranged by one of Mexico's largest drug cartels, “Los Valencia.” 

El Mundo claimed the public prosecutor had asked for correspondence in association with the games played to be sent to Barcelona "for further investigation.” The matches in question took place in Lima, Peru, and Chicago, and it’s claimed the cartel “used the games to launder money.”

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Per Sport, the latest communication from the Messi clan claims Lionel, his father and the charity “have never been part of any criminal proceedings or proceedings of any other nature in relation to the organisation of these charity matches and/or the income derived from them.”

In addition, it’s noted in the release that neither Messi nor the foundation received any money from the matches, there is no evidence linking the player with these apparent offences and, as such, lawyer Goncalves Pereira will begin legal proceedings against El Mundo, “to guarantee [Messi's] honour and integrity is upkept.”

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Messi is currently out of the Barcelona team with an injury after a solid start to the 2015-16 season. The genial Argentinian suffered a knee problem against Las Palmas last weekend and was ruled out for eight weeks. It is anticipated he will return to action for the Blaugrana for their clash with bitter rivals Real Madrid on November 22.