West Ham and Newcastle Raided in tax investigation....

Pengeman

MrsGrey - Players are transferred and remunerated though Clubs. Mangers and agents are also paid by Clubs. So Clubs will inevitably be implicated if any shady dealings are found. I am sure that we will hear more in weeks to come.

Here is a link and another link to an earlier leak knows as the Panama Papers https://panamapapers.icij.org/ . BBC said that the leak also touches the football's government body http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-35954224

Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho have been alleged to be involved in tax avoidance http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38191470
Here is an item about Pogbahttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4019872/Paul-Pogba-centre-fresh-Football-Leaks-revelations-Manchester-United-star-having-Jersey-tax-haven.html and you will find much more on the internet.

chicagohammer

I am slightly worried by the BBC headline that "several arrests" have been made, this sounds like they knew who they were after and why, the "raids" on the clubs themselves are likely geared to capture evidence to back up their suspicions and support possible prosecution.

It does not read to me as a typical tax audit fishing expedition.

At the moment we are in the realms of speculation which is always dangerous, but it does sound worriesome to me.

Am sure we will find out more soon enough

Ho hum

Pengeman

There seems to a French connection and the finger has been pointed at Marseille which does not have an exemplary record http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-scandal-leaves-a-stain-on-the-white-shirt-of-marseille-allegations-of-match-fixing-of-franc-1484695.html And history may be repeating itself http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/inland-revenue-investigates-football-clubs-three-year-inquiry-into-alleged-tax-evasion-and-financial-1490245.html

brookingsirons

just when we thought Payet had gone ........... he could be coming back ;doh

brookingsirons

well I hope Sullivan gets locked up for the summer so Slav can get some decent
signings in ;wink

Vorselaarhammer

My Newcastle mate has just sent me the following...

It's 'only' a £5M fraud and appears to involve income tax & NI, so more a matter for individuals than the clubs perhaps?

Huttonhammer

Fingers crossed that everything is ok. However knowing our luck we will be a championship side next season.
It's funny I was going to work this morning and saw Mark driving into his house. I thought he was home early from training!!

Fingers crossed it's not that serious.

IronHerb

You mean Payets transfer to Marseille was illegal?

;sofa

NEoldiron

Hutton, Mark was driving into his house ;nonono ;wink

MIAHammer

One of the issues appears to be about players over declaring income from image rights to reduce their tax bill.
Considering the poor image our club has, surely we are due a tax rebate ;whistle

Huttonhammer

Does anyone think that the amount of police and officers used to enter West Ham's facilities was a bit heavy handed.
I could understand it if there were armed criminals in the building but this is another case of West Ham being targeted I feel.
Same way referees have been targeting us in games etc.
I feel there is definitely a massive anti- West Ham movement now in football.

Vorselaarhammer

Hutton it may be a more "positive" reason.

Ms Brady is a high profile Honoured person.

As such everybody wants in either to protect her or the force / to build careers etc etc. So you will get a lot more people involved.

I bet if her house was burgled she would have more police at her door that me...

MrsGrey

The numbers of police involved are for both sites, I think. How many were at west ham?

baracks_a_hammer

I suspect only a couple of them were actually assigned to carry out the raid. The rest would have tagged along in the hope of getting an autographed shirt

MrsGrey

Actually, that 180 is HMRC officers not police. And it was for France as well, at several sites. And in the UK it also visited other sites, including Chelsea (although that wasn't a 'raid').

So, no, I don't think that's too many and I don't think they have it in for West Ham.

MunichHammer

I bet if her house was burgled she would have more police at her door that me...

Her house is probably a lot bigger than yours, though.

MrsGrey

I've just updated the title to reflect latest intel ;wink

Hamstew

So how many points do you think we need to be 12 points from safety?

alderz

I think it crazy to even suggest that there is an anti-WHU conspiracy running from the referees into HMRC and Met Police, tbh.

OutcastLondoner

MrsGrey said:

Actually, that 180 is HMRC officers not police. And it was for France as well, at several sites. And in the UK it also visited other sites, including Chelsea (although that wasn't a 'raid').

So, no, I don't think that's too many and I don't think they have it in for West Ham.

Think I saw 50 at West Ham.

These types of things, in my experience, often have large numbers because they're trying to seize documents and equipment as well, which requires a lot more people than the actual arrest.

MrsGrey

Exactly - they've got to go into several offices simultaneously, and take hardware, plus files etc. ;ok

MunichHammer

Not a first for Sullivan and Lady Karen, though.

horshamhammer

Karren's diary in the Sun might actually be worth a read this week...

AdMeus_CaputFilius

Penge:

"That said, despite the massive Der Spiegel leak there have been no persecutions as yet."

I beg to differ, there are plenty of people and media groups out there that are all to ready to persecute us (whu).

Note! I understand that was a typo, but couldn't resist ;biggrin

AdMeus_CaputFilius

TBH, this has been bubbling along for a few years now with little leaks here and there. I hope the club are not held to account and penalised and they go after the individuals themselves - including the players involved. After all that is what happens to the man/woman in the street (i.e. me or you), they don't go after the businesses we work for.

Any agents and/or persons at the clubs (12 I think it is) should be charges and part of the punishment for a guilty verdict should be a ban for working in football for life to dissuade others and any players (knowingly or unknowingly - I find the latter hard to believe though) should be made to pay back all they owe plus a fine, if they won't do it willingly, then you put a ban on their transfer (if still in the UK) and take the money owed and fine from their wages until paid and the ban is lifted, if they now play overseas that could be more problematical, you could approach the clubs they now play for with the threat of sanctions to get the money back, however there is an option to arrest them if the come to the UK to play (Euro or International matches).

MrsGrey

I agree with much of what you say in principle, but in practice, less so. Surely if they are tried and found guilty of fraud (players, I mean) ... their contract would be void even if they weren't given a prison sentence.

I don't think it is possible to 'forbid' a transfer ... that's restraint of trade. What if the club voids their contract voluntarily - they are a free agent. And if they are a foreign player (non EU, for now) at a UK club they wouldn't be allowed to stay here on their sporting visa...

It all gets complicated. I don't think your solution would be feasible ;hmm

IronHerb

In which case they can go to prison and the clubs can sue them for breach of contract. Simples!

MrsGrey

As I said - re prison. But suing for breach of contract means the club gets the money?

AdMeus_CaputFilius

I think if they (players) have any sense Mrs G (a bit of a stretch with some I know) they will throw their arms in the air in feigned shock and surprise (bit like a really good dive), denying all knowledge claiming they were misled and agreeing to pay back what they owe (or some of it anyway).

MrsGrey

Probably.

HMRC seem quite keen to allow sweetheart deals for the millionaires club.