Lionel Messi Could Face Prison For Tax Evasion Charges, Soccer Future In Jeopardy

Lionel Messi could end up in prison for several years if he’s convicted of the tax fraud allegations he’s facing from a Barcelona court.

Prosecutors have claimed that the soccer superstar used a complex network of companies in order to hide money from the Spanish Tax Agency, ultimately avoiding $5.5 million in tax payments.

Lionel Messi has argued that he had no knowledge of the alleged scheme. Reports have claimed that Messi’s father, Jorge Horacio Messi, created the structure when Lionel was still a teenager.

The following is from Larry Brown Sports.

“Messi’s lawyers claim the Argentinean star ‘never devoted a minute of his life to reading, studying or analyzing’ contracts related to the companies his father allegedly created. Judges countered that Messi ratified the contracts after he turned 18 and that his name appeared as the sole administrator of one of the companies.”

The charges are hanging over Messi as he and the Argentina team are preparing for the start of the Copa America tournament. The team’s captain is focused on the tournament and said he wants to make up for his country’s loss to Germany in last year’s World Cup.

“I’d love to win the Copa America for everything it would mean for us after enjoying a spectacular World Cup and coming so close,” Messi told reporters. “This Argentina generation wants to win and we’re aware that we are the favourites. As a team, we deserve to win something. We know that it would be the best thing ever to end the season by lifting the Copa America.”

“I don’t know if this has been my best year, but I feel fine myself, and very happy. With the national team we are all in good shape and we have some great players who can help us to achieve what we want.

We’re going into this in better shape than we did at the World Cup because we had a few players injured. It’s important for us, and for Argentina because it’s been a while since we last won it.”

Messi just earned a big honor for his play in the Champions League. According to Bleacher Report, MasterCard polled fans on who they think is the best player in the tournament’s history, and Messi took 27 percent of the votes.

For those who might think the poll was just stuffed by younger fans with no memory of older players, the Latin American Herald Tribune found that Messi won 33 percent of the votes from respondents age 55 and older.

But the bright soccer future could be in jeopardy thanks to the tax evasion charges. Lionel Messi could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

[Image via Getty Images / Matthias Hangst / Bongarts]