Spanish treasury asks court not to exculpate Messi

Madrid, July 1 (IANS/EFE) Spain's treasury department has demanded that a court here should not exculpate FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi of tax evasion charges.

This came after the general prosecutor in Barcelona ordered June 17 to close Messi's case of tax evasion, claiming that the player did not have any knowledge of managing his publicity and income, reports EFE.

The treasury Monday called for resuming the investigation of Messi's tax evasion of a sum amounting to 4.1 million euros between 2007-09.

Messi's legal advisers last week presented a voluntary supplementary declaration for the rights of royalty taxed between 2010-12 to prevent a similar situation. The player June 21 deposited a guarantee of 25 million euros to the treasury to cover the debt.

--IANS/EFE

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