Lionel Messi Tax Investigation May Be Widened, Spanish News Agency Reports

Spain may expand an investigation into whether Barcelona soccer player Lionel Messi evaded income tax on advertising deals, Efe news agency reported.

Public prosecutor Raquel Amado said in a complaint filed at a Barcelona district court on June 12 that the four-time world player of the year evaded 4.2 million euros ($5.6 million) in tax between 2007 and 2009.

Spain’s tax authority may widen the investigation to include the three years through 2012, Efe said, citing legal sources it didn’t identify.Messi, soccer’s top-earning player last year after David Beckham according to France Football magazine, denies wrongdoing. He said last week he has always fulfilled his tax obligations.