Angel Di Maria and Javier Pastore homes raided in tax investigation

PSG's offices have similarly been searched as part of the investigation

Tuesday 23 May 2017 10:41 EDT
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Angel Di Maria and Javier Pastore in training for PSG
Angel Di Maria and Javier Pastore in training for PSG (Getty)

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The homes of PSG players Angel Di Maria and Javier Pastore were searched on Tuesday morning by French anti-corruption officers, according to reports.

A team from France’s National Financial Prosecutors’ office started their investigation after documents concerning the players' image rights payments were published by whistle-blowing website Football Leaks.

Details of the players’ contracts appear to reveal they had avoided taxes by using offshore arrangements to receive payments related to their so-called image rights, Bloomberg reports.

It's understood PSG's offices have similarly been searched as part of the investigation.

The raids are the latest into alleged tax fraud in the sport.

Authorities across Europe have been targeting players and teams, with the same French unit that is investigating Pastore and Di Maria making arrests last month in a case led by counterparts in the UK.

Newcastle United and West Ham were both raided by HMRC officers amid an investigation into the clubs' transfer dealings.

St James' Park and the London Stadium were the subject of warrants, and Newcastle's managing director, Lee Charnley, was arrested before being later released.

HMRC said they arrested "several men working within professional football industry for suspected income tax & national insurance fraud".

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