Photo: Football legend Lionel Messi arrives in court for tax fraud case

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Four-time FIFA footballer of the year Lionel Messi and his father Jorge arrived in a Spanish court this morning Friday September 27th to answer charges of alleged tax fraud. Messi and his father are being accused of hiding over £3.4 million by filing incomplete tax returns from 2006 to 2009.

The charges against father and son was lodged by a state prosecutor in June 2013 claiming that they tried to conceal earnings from Messi's image rights - charges they both deny.
"I never take care of that (tax) stuff myself and neither does my father," Messi said in July. "We have our lawyers and our wealth managers to take care of that and we trust them and they will sort this out. The truth is I don’t have a clue about all this and that is why we have people taking care of it."
Messi has already paid the Spanish authorities the unpaid tax he's owing plus interest (he paid £4.2m) but because tax fraud is a serious offense in Spain, he still has to make an appearance in court where the courts will determine whether the case is pursued any further. Hopefully it will all end today!

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Nigerian Politician and former Deputy Governor of Lagos state deported from America over N130M Fraud

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, western Nigeria, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu and Sampson Ojikutu, will be arraigned by the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), of the Nigeria Police Force before a Federal High Court in Lagos tomorrow on a three-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and stealing.

Sources close to SFU informed P.M.NEWS that Ojikutu, who is currently in the United States of America, USA, will be repatriated to Nigeria and arraigned tomorrow.

In a criminal charge number FHC/L/C/343c/13 filed before the court by CSP Effiong Asuquo from the SFU, it was alleged that Ojikutu and Sampson in September 2011 at Lekki Phase 1, Victoria Island, Lagos, conspired to commit felony to wit, obtaining the sum of N130 million.

The money was allegedly collected from a Lagos businessman, Cajetan Okekearu, under the pretence that they have a plot of land at Lekki Phase 1 at Victoria Island to sell to him.

Sources close to SFU informed P.M.NEWS Ojikutu’s proposed repatriation was effected with the assistance of the US Embassy in Nigeria.

 Reports disclosed that all arrangements have been put in place for Ojikutu’s repatriation to Nigeria today. 

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