Former Barcelona president Laporta defends Messi against tax fraud allegations
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta is defending Lionel Messi against allegations of tax fraud, a case that experts say could carry a prison sentence for the Argentina star.
A Spanish state prosecutor filed a fraud complaint on Wednesday alleging that Messi and his father Jorge avoided paying 4 million euros ($5.3 million) in back taxes through illegal overseas tax havens.
Laporta told Cope radio he is "convinced that they have not committed any irregularity."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Laporta's presidency coincided with the period the complaint covers from 2006-09.
If found guilty and barring an out-of-court deal with the tax office, Messi and his father could face 2-6 years in jail, according to Professor Sandalio Gomez, a sports finance analyst at the IESE Business School.