Lionel Messi, father accused of tax fraud
Soccer star Lionel Messi and his father have been accused of tax fraud by Spanish authorities.
Criminal charges alleging nearly $5.3 million in unpaid taxes from 2007 through 2009 were filed against them Wednesday by prosecutor Raquel Amado in Barcelona.
Messi, who plays for Barcelona and is from Argentina, is one of the highest paid athletes in the world.
The World Player of the Year reportedly makes just over $20 million a season, according to Forbes magazine, and receives about $21 million in endorsements from his sponsors, which include Adidas, PepsiCo and P&G.;
ALSO:
Ravens release Vonta Leach after failing to agree on new deal
The top 25 @ 140: Which college teams lead in Twitter followers
Manti Te’o breaks monthlong silence, discusses championship loss
Get our high school sports newsletter
Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
