• La Liga

Messi pays £4.2m in tax fraud case

ESPN staff
September 5, 2013
Messi and his father are still required to attend a legal hearing later this month © PA Photos
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Barcelona star Lionel Messi and his father have paid €5 million (£4.2m) to Spanish authorities as part of an investigation into alleged tax fraud, according to a court statement.

The striker denies any wrongdoing despite accusations that he and his father Jorge failed to file complete tax returns between 2006 and 2009, with the missing sum standing at €4m (£3.4m).

However, a court in Gava has now confirmed that the Messis have made a "corrective payment" of €5,016,542.27, though they will still be required to attend a legal hearing on September 17.

"I never take care of that stuff myself and neither does my father," the 26-year-old player said in July.

"We have our lawyers and our wealth managers to take care of that and we trust them and they will sort this out," he added.

"The truth is that I don't have a clue about all this and that is why we have people taking care of it."

Messi reportedly earns a combined total of €40m (£33.8m) per year through wages and sponsorship deals.

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