Barcelona star Lionel Messi is suspected to have made personal gains from
his recent ‘charity games’.
German magazine Der Spiegel has reported that Spain’s Central Operative
Unit is investigating where the millions made from games organised by Messi’s
foundation have gone, and the reports say that there have been inconsistencies
in terms of witness testimonies.
Furthermore, it has been found that a bank account in the Caribbean is now
holding all of the money acquired from the six Messi and Friends matches, which
were played across the United States and South America. The foundation was
supposed to contribute to causes such as providing aid for Syrian refugees and
Argentinian children with incurable diseases.
Guillermo Marín, a friend of Messi’s father, was questioned by UCO
investigators and said that, out of the $7.9 million raised by the games, only
$300,000 found its way towards Messi’s foundation. He did not provide an answer
as to where the rest of the money went.
The four time Ballon d’Or winner and his teammates denied receiving any of
the proceeds. However, a document stating that Robert Lewandowski was offered
$250,000 for participating in the event has been cited by the German magazine
to indicate that the Barcelona player’s version of events is false.
"Is it really possible, though, that Lionel Messi is so cynical that
the charity games he allowed to be organized in his name are nothing but a
cover for large-scale fraud?" Der Spiegel asks.
Lionel Messi’s annual income is estimated to be in the region of €40
million.
Do you think Lionel Messi has committed fraud? Have your say in the
comments section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment