Lionel Messi will go on trial on a charge of tax evasion, after a magistrate on Friday dismissed his appeal against being named in the case.
The Barcelona forward had denied any involvement in the financial dealings of his father and agent Jorge, after the two of them were accused of defrauding tax authorities of up to €4.1 million between 2006 and 2009.
Messi’s rights were allegedly sold by his father, who has already assumed full responsibility of the crime.
The judge has now said that “in this type of crime, it is not necessary for someone to have complete knowledge of all the accounting and business operations nor the exact quantity, rather it is sufficient to be aware of the designs to commit fraud and consent to them”.
It had looked as if the case would be closed, after Jorge paid over €5m as corrective payment, but the state has decided to pursue the matter further.
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