Lionel Messi’s tax fraud trial kicks off in Spain, football star to appear on Thursday

Football star Lionel Messi’s tax fraud trial began yesterday in Spain and the trial is expected to last till Thursday when the football star will appear in court.

Messi and his father Jorge Messi, who manages his financial affairs, are accused of defrauding the Spanish government of more than €4m (£3m; $4.5m) between 2007 and 2009.

The Police authorities allege that the two used tax havens in Belize and Uruguay to conceal earnings from image rights.

According to Messi’s lawyers, the footballer isn’t aware of anything that happens with his finances and should be cleared of any wrongdoing, but the tax authorities who want large fines and a prison sentence for the footballer say that Messi can’t claim ignorance with regards to his financial affairs as his father, Jorge, heads his management team.