While the sport of Soccer hasn’t exactly taken off in the United States, everyone in the world knows who Lionel Messi is. However, when the Argentinian superstar got accused for tax fraud on Wednesday, the world took a collective sigh.
It’s crazy to think that someone who makes over $40 million a year needs to dodge the government come tax day — Messi was voted the 10th-highest paid athlete in the world for 2012. I’m sure Messi has a fantastic excuse for not paying his taxes from 2006-09, but I’m not buying whatever the Argentinian native is about to conjure up.
This is no small ordeal for Messi as he owes approximately four million euros which equates to $5.3 million in American currency. Could you imagine the backlash if an NBA villain like LeBron James was being sued for millions of dollars?
Instead, the knuckleheads in Barcelona are probably lining up at Messi’s door to offer him their last dime. A jail sentence is out of the question for Leo, yet 150% of his tax-free wages could be eliminated — how would Messi ever survive?
Before you start sobbing, keep in mind that the soccer mainstay is only making $21 million this year in endorsements alone.
It’s safe to say that Messi needs a little bit better guidance because at age 25, he is far too young to be involved in tax fraud. The worst part is that Messi’s father, Jorge Horacio Messi, is also being accused for skipping out on the family’s tax duties.
Apparently, Messi was able to temporarily dupe the government by using shell companies in tax havens such as Belize and Uruguay — as punishment, Messi should be exiled to either one of those places with nothing but a soccer ball.
