Chelsea investigated as part of HMRC tax fraud probe
Chelsea are the latest club to have been drawn into an HMRC tax probe which has seen raids take place at a number of football clubs in England and across the Channel in France.
Twitter: HMRC officers have also been at Chelsea FC this morning with a request for info in connection with raids. Story to follow on @MailSport (@Matt_Lawton_DM)
The Daily Mail note that HMRC have been at Chelsea this morning with a request for information in connection with raids that have taken place at Newcastle, West Ham and Marseille.
Twitter: Breaking | Marseille’s ex-board also a target for tax investigation by English & French authorities relating to Newcastle & West Ham. (RTL) (@GFFN)
Stamford Bridge was not raided for its files like Newcastle and West Ham were this morning, however.
Chelsea are not alleged to be involved in any wrongdoing regarding the £5m tax fraud probe launched this morning, but there is an apparent link between them and the transfers being investigated at Newcastle and West Ham.
“In connection with its wider investigation, HMRC has requested certain information which the club will provide,” a club spokesman for Chelsea said on the investigation.
Newcastle’s managing director Lee Charnley has been arrested after a raid on St James’ Park by HMRC following an investigation into the club’s finances, while West Ham were also raided as part of the investigation and HMRC have made several arrests for suspected income tax and national insurance fraud.
Ligue 1 side Marseille are also at the centre of the allegations with French authorities working with HMRC in relation to the tax fraud worth an estimated £5m.
Transfers involving all three clubs are being investigated are being looked into as part of an ongoing probe relating to a number of offences including embezzlement.
The two main transfers in question are Dimitri Payet’s move from Marseille to West Ham in July 2015 in addition to his return transfer back in January, along with Florian Thauvin’s transfer from Marseille to Newcastle in August 2015. He rejoined Marseille on loan in January 2016 and will complete a permanent return this summer.
Alou Diarra (Marseille to West Ham in August 2012) and Remy Cabella (Newcastle to Marseille in August 2015) are two more transfers between the three clubs that are also being investigated.