They investigate agents of soccer players for money laundering when making fictional signings

The Civil Guard and the Tax agency they investigate several agents of soccer players, among them Fali Ramadani, for tax crimes and money laundering for carrying out fictitious transfers in transfers of players carried out by a well-known representation agency.

The investigation, initiated by the Special Prosecutor's Office Against Corruption and the Organized Crime, has been directed by the Central Court of Instruction 3 of the National Court and in its development have participated about a hundred agents of the Central Operating Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard and the Tax Agency, reported Tuesday armed institute

Research sources have pointed out that one of the main investigators is Fali Ramadani, who represents players as Miralem Pjanic, Luka Jovic or Kalidou Koulibaly.

The agents investigated allegedly used the Cypriot club Apollon Limasol to carry out phantom signings and in the period in which this investigation focuses the two main involved would have introduced in Spain more than 10 million euros to acquire their homes, yachts and maintain a high level of life.

The so-called Lanigan operation has been carried out in the Balearic Islands, Barcelona, ​​Madrid, Malaga, Seville, Almeria, Valencia, Asturias, Guipúzcoa, Vitoria and Pontevedra, where domiciles and company headquarters have been registered.

They have also practiced fifty documentation requirements to multiple societies, football clubs and law firms.

The inquiries started in 2017, when the Civil Guard learned that two agents of soccer players linked to one of the representative agencies with the largest business volume in Europe had acquired luxurious homes in the Marrorquin district of Calvia, using a complicated corporate framework to hide the true ownership of them, detailed the armed institute.

After investigating the origin of the money, it was discovered how these agents were supposedly part of a criminal organization that was able to control various football clubs in countries such as Serbia, Cyprus or Belgium, carrying out fictitious signings that were only known through of the documents disclosed by various media in the so-called “Football leaks“precise.

So they got great benefits for enrichment, being able to cause great economic damages for the clubs and for the public treasury of the countries implied by the evasion of taxes.

Given the scope of the operation, Europol's collaboration was requested, which has facilitated international cooperation between all the institutions involved.

The two main investigators would have introduced more than 10 million euros in Spain to maintain a high standard of living, and in that operation to introduce money, a tax advisory office based in Malta and with delegations in other countries played a key role.

The workers in this office would have participated in the concealment and subsequent introduction in Spain of part of the money obtained by the investigated, as well as in the fiscal relocation strategy to avoid paying taxes in Spain.

At the moment there are five people investigated and several tens testify as witnesses.

In addition, due to the international impact, collaboration has been requested from several countries.