Money laundering allegations – who stands behind West Ham
Two gifted footlballers, Argentinian World Cup stars, Carlos Tévez and Javier Mascherano, became the victims of the deal between Media Sport Investment (MSI) and Corinthians which purpotedly was used to launder money. The officials of Brazil’s organised crime taskforce and the Brazilian intelligence agency investigated a subsidiary of MSI after it took over Brazil’s leading club, Corinthians. The suspicions are stated in an official report compiled in Brazil, the two footballers played for Corinthians before their move to West Ham. Investigators claim that they have enough evidence to consider that a secretive offshore investment company that owned Tévez and Mascherano was involved in money laundering. The transfer of the footballers was an unusual deal as the club pays some of the players’ wages but does not make transfer fee to Corinthians.Â
The report alleges that the money was laundered on behalf of Boris Berezovsky, a Russian oligarch, mathematician-turned-entrepreneur, who was the wealthiest and most powerful player until Russia’s President Vladimir Putin turned upon him. Berezovsky has been living in exile in the UK, until he was given a UK passport under the name Platon Elenin. However, he faces arrest if comes back to Russia.Â
One more man related to this deal is Mr Berezovsky’s old friend, a former Communist Party official from Georgia and the owner of Dinamo Tbilisi football club, Badri Patarkatsishvili. He will also be arrested if comes to Russia.Â
Pini Zahavi seems to be another influential figure in the West Ham story. This Israeli sports journalist-turned-agent has stood behind some of the biggest transfers in English football.Â
The former president of MSI Kia Joorabchian, denies the involvement in money laundering and refuses to disclose the identities of those who stand behind. Kia Joorabchian, 35, is an Iranian-born businessmen whose family after the 1979 Islamic revolution fled to Kent. In 1999, through his British Virgin Islands-registered company Mr Joorabchian bought 85% of the one of the most influential newspapers of the post-Soviet era, Kommersant.Â
As well as Mr Joorabchian, Mr Berezovsky the allegations of money laundering. He denies backing MSI and claims he has no interest in West Ham.