Barcelona star Messi denies tax evasion charges

Barcelona star Lionel Messi appeared at a court in Catalonia to answer questions relating to tax evasion.

The Argentina international and his father Jorge appeared at the hearing in the coastal town of Gava, where Messi lives, near Barcelona after being accused of defrauding the state out of £3.5m (€4.17m) by avoiding tax on his image rights.

Messi was questioned for half an hour and his father an hour before the pair were whisked away.

The prosecution alleges the Messis set up shell companies in Uruguay and Belize to avoid paying tax in Spain.

Both men deny the charge, saying the deals, which took place between 2007 and 2009, were done by Messi’s former agent without their knowledge.

The Messis have since made a payment of £4.2m to the taxman, the alleged unpaid amount plus interest, but it did not stop the hearing from taking place with Spanish authorities eager to clamp down given the country’s financial problems.

If the case goes to trial and Messi and his father are found guilty, they could face a fine reaching 150% of the back taxes and possible prison time.