Barcelona star Lionel Messi and his father have repaid five million euros ($6.6 million) owed to the taxman before facing court on tax evasion charges, according to a judge’s ruling obtained Thursday.
The judge rejected a prosecutors’ request for the 26-year-old Argentina international to deposit a financial bond so as to ensure he pays any fine on the tax charges.
A bond was unnecessary “given the worldwide renown of professional footballer Mr. Lionel Andres Messi Cuccittini and his resulting solvency,” the judge said.
The judge said he was consulting with the prosecution before making a ruling on a separate request by Messi’s lawyers for the planned September 17 hearing to be postponed.