Messi to appear in court

 Messi and his father have been dragged
to court
– The Barcelona forward could miss Copa
America opener
– Neymar is also accused of tax evasion
between 2011 and 2013
Barcelona star Lionel Messi will appear in
court on June 2 over tax fraud allegations.

Lionel Messi and his father Jorge, have
been charged with three counts of tax
fraud up to €4.1million. According to EFE,
the Spanish agency, Messi will testify next
week.
Messi reportedly tried to avoid trial on
grounds that his father handled his tax
payments. However, a state attorney
ordered both of them to appear.
Argentina national football team will have
their captain in court, three days before
Copa America match against Chile on June
6.
Lionel Messi
Gerardo Martino, the manager of the
national team, said: “I think we should
have no problem with his presence at the
Copa America Centenario. If he suspected
that there might be a problem, we
would’ve said.”
It would be recalled that Neymar is also
accused of tax evasion between 2011 and
2013 and faces legal proceedings. The
Brazilian was accused of setting up
companies in his name to avoid paying
taxes for his wealth.
Prosecutors accuse Neymar of setting up
companies as fronts in order to pay a
lower rate of tax. They demand he pay
63.6 million reias ($16m; £11m) in
allegedly undeclared taxes.
The court ordered his assets be frozen to
ensure the payment plus any possible
fines, it said. An auditor with the federal
tax agency told the Associated Press news
agency that Neymar could still appeal the
decision and that he was unlikely to face
jail.