One of the biggest data leaks of its time, the Panama Papers are a set of confidential documents revealing information about offshore companies based out of Panama. Legal firm Mossack Fonseca listed these firms, many of which are shell companies used by their stakeholders as a means of avoiding taxes and duties.
Although the majority of those named in the leaks are prominent political figures and their close friends and relatives, a number of sports personalities – athletes, managers and officials – have also been revealed to be involved.
German national newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung received access to the anonymous data in mid-2015, and prior to its release to the public reviewed the data with the ICIJ, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, before its worldwide release.
Here, we look at 8 of the biggest names associated with the Panama Papers:
Nico Rosberg
He has won 5 races on the trot with his victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix, and Rosberg is on a high in his Formula One career. But the Mercedes AMG Petronas driver, son of 1982 World Champion racer Keke Rosberg, is one of a number of sports personalitenamed in the Panama Papers.
Rosberg was locked in a fierce battle with teammate Lewis Hamilton in 2015, but this year has dominated the three-time World Champion.
Yesterday it emerged that Rosberg’s F1 deal with team Mercedes was actually via an offshore company named in the news as Ambitious Group Limited, which is based out of the British Virgin Islands.
Ambitious Group Limited itself is a front for other companies based out of the Channel Islands.
While Rosberg has not commented on the allegations, a lawyer for the family told French sports daily L’Equipe it was a “private matter.”
Gianni Infantino
He replaced the disgraced Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in February 2016 after an ethics committee found evidence of corruption, and now it has emerged Infantino is not entirely innocent either.
The Swiss is under scrutiny for a contract he signed years ago with two Argentine businessmen, Hugo and Mariano Jinkis, relating to broadcast rights to Europe's elite Champions League club competition in South America. The pair were later indicted for their dealings in the United States of America.
At the time of Infantino’s dealings with the pair, he was an official with European body UEFA, with Hugo and Mariano Jinkis alleged to have sold broadcast rights to the Champions League to an Ecuadorian broadcaster hree times higher than what had been agreed on.
Infantino said in a statement that he was “dismayed (my) integrity is being doubted.”
Michel Platini
Disgraced former UEFA president Platini is involved in offshore money dealings, according to investigations by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
It is not Platini’s first brush with the law, or the first time he has been accused of illegal activity. The Frenchman was banned by FIFA in 2015 after it emerged he and ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter were involved in an illegal deal to the tune of 2 million Swiss Francs.
Platini drew the payment, approved by Blatter, for what he claimed was an ‘advisory role’ from 1999 to 2002.
The pair were both fined and received eight-year bans from the FIFA ethics committee, although Platini’s ban was later reduced to 6 years.
His communications service told Agence France-Presse yesterday that the entirety of his financial records and properties had been made known to the Swiss authorities since 2007, and he would sue for defamation if needed.
Jarno Trulli
Former Formula One driver Jarno Trulli, known for his skill at qualifying, may not have had the success many of his peers enjoyed in the sport despite an illustrious karting career.
The former Lotus and Renault driver retired from the sport in 2011 with a single win and 11 podium finishes, and since then has become a producer of wine.
The Italian owns his own vineyard in Italy, producing his own wine and selling it part of a winemaking business in addition to other interests. It has now emerged that some of his businesses were registered in Panama.
Trulli has maintained his innocence, telling Italian newspaper Corriere “"I have invested there the fruits of my work. It’s all legal.”
Luca Cordero di Montezemolo
The Italian, who currently heads Italian airline Alitalia, was president of Ferrari during its most successful run in Formula One, which saw Michael Schumacher win five championships on the trot.
He also founded the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) which he presided over from 2008 to 2010, and consulted on decisions in the sport.
It has now emerged that the Italian businessman also has businesses registered in the Channel Islands. He claims to “never (have) heard of this law firm,” and in a statement said “me and my family are innocent.”
Gabriel Heinze
Argentinian defender Gabriel Heinze played with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, and was capped for his country 72 times, playing in two World Cups and Copa Americas.
Heinze created the Galena Mills Corp in 2005, in his days as a left back for United. That company was based out of the British Virgin Islands.
Later the same year, he was signed to a sporting lifestyle brand that guaranteed him payments of at least $1 million over five years, with payments from Puma channeled through the offshore company. That company, records show, was listed as owned by Heinze’s mother, an Italian national.
The family have claimed all activity is legal.
Tomas Berdych
World No. 7 Berdych has had a relatively slow start to 2016 as far as tennis goes, but now finds himself in the news for reasons unrelated to the sport. The Czech ace was revealed as one of the sporting names in the Panama Papers, but more details have since emerged.
Berdych is said to have invested in a solar energy firm in recent years, with the owner of that firm registering it in Panama, which is the reason for Berdych’s name being associated with the melee.
He has yet to make an official statement.
Lionel Messi
The biggest name revealed in the Panama Papers, five time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is accused, with his father, of tax evasion via offshore money dealings.
Spanish digital daily En Confidential say the Messi family stand accused of setting up a tax fraud network using Panamanian company Mega Star Enterprises to avoid paying tax on image rights deals for the Argentinian international, who lends his likeness to a number of products worldwide.
Messi’s father Jorge has denied all allegations, and said he will be suing El Confidencial for defamation. Meanwhile, the family and their lawyer have denied any wrongdoing in the matter, but have yet to offer an explanation.
The AFA and Messi’s club FC Barcelona have both spoken out in support of the Argentinian international, saying they had ‘faith in his integrity.’
