Lionel Messi Tax Fraud Charges Dropped in Relation to Charity Matches

Allegations of tax fraud against FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi were dropped on Monday after a Spanish judge determined he did not receive payment for playing in charity matches from 2012 and 2013.

According to a Sport English report, the judge determined there was "no evidence" Messi was paid or used the games to defraud the Spanish government. Guillermo Javier Marin, who organized the six charity matches, said Messi was not paid for his appearances. He did, however, indicate Messi had his travel expenses and other accommodations paid for, which is not a violation of any laws.  

In September, Spanish newspaper El Mundo (via AS.com) reported Messi's charity generated a profit from a 2012 charity match in Peru and a 2013 contest in Chicago. The report cited an anonymous source who said Mexican drug cartel  “Los Valencia” was involved in setting up the matches and hiding the money. 

Jose Antonio Hernandez of El Pais also reported on four additional matches that allegedly laundered funds across the world. Marin allegedly admitted at the time that the Leo Messi Foundation received a total of $300,000 for the six matches. 

"Nevertheless, Marín contradicted himself on various occasions during his interrogation, leaving UCO investigators with a lot of unanswered questions about where the money generated by the charity matches ended up," Hernandez wrote in his report. 

The Spanish government launched an investigation into the matter, which concluded there was insufficient evidence to prove Messi or his charity had broken the law.

Messi remains under investigation in Barcelona for alleged tax fraud in 2007, 2008 and 2009. These investigations are independent of one another, so Monday's ruling will have no bearing in that case. Messi and his father Jorge are facing up to 22 months in prison for the alleged fraud.

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