Colombia striker Radamel Falcao will be investigated by Spanish authorities for tax evasion, reported Spanish news agency EFE on Wednesday.
Falcao is accused of transferring the management of his image rights outside of Spain during his time with Atletico Madrid between 2011-2013 thus failing to declare these earnings in what can be considered “image right fraud”.
“El Tigre” has moved to quell speculation that he engaged in anything illegal stating that he “always collaborated with Spanish authorities” in remarks to AFP.
“Every time the Spanish authorities requested information, we always delivered it through my lawyers,” added Colombia’s joint all-time goal scorer.
Profile – Radamel Falcao
Falcao is part of a wide ranging probe by authorities into Spanish football that includes high profile players such as Xabi Alonso, Ricardo Carvalho, Fabio Coentrao and Angel Di Maria.
According to claims by British and Spanish media, Cristiano Ronaldo and current Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho are also to be implicated.
Both men are represented by the same agent as Falcao, Jorge Mendes.
For his part, Ronaldo is accused of moving over €150 million to an offshore company listed in the British Virgin Islands according to revelations by Football Leaks website.
The Office of the Prosecutor General has made it clear that “it will never stop pursuing infractions against the Public Treasury, as long as it appreciates the existence of crime,” reported El Tiempo newspaper.
Spanish authorities have already taken action against Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano who were both found guilty of fiscal fraud and handed suspended sentences in Spain.
Radamel Falcao becomes 5th most expensive player of all time
Falcao spent two years playing in Spain having signed for Atletico Madrid in August 2011 scoring 70 goals in 91 games and leading them to the Europa League and Super Cup in 2012.
In May 2013 he joined newly promoted French side Monaco for a club record of €60 million from Portuguese side Porto.
He suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in January 2014 ruling him out of Colombia’s World Cup campaign.
He returned to play with Monaco this year following loan spells in the English Premier League with Manchester United and Chelsea during which he failed to make a significant impact.
Falcao returned to the Colombian national team last month for the first time since October 2015 playing in World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Chile and Argentina.