Another twist in Tevez saga...

[Unrighteous]

Joorabchian charged in new twist to Tevez saga

The Carlos Tévez affair took another twist last night when an arrest order was issued for the businessman in charge of the West Ham United striker’s affairs just hours before it was announced that he was close to joining Manchester United.

A federal judge in Brazil charged Kia Joorabchian with money-laundering and being part of a criminal gang for his role in the partnership between Media Sports Investments (MSI), the London-based sports management company that claims to own the economic rights to Tévez, and Corinthians, the Brazilian football club.

Judge Fausto Martin de Sanctis also ordered the detention of Boris Berezovsky, the London-based Russian oligarch who allegedly bankrolled MSI, Alberto Dualib, the Corinthians president, and several other club officials on similar charges.

The development overshadowed the news that Tévez is expected to fly to Manchester on Tuesday – two days after he is scheduled to play for Argentina in the Copa America final against Brazil in Venezuela – to undergo a medical with a view to joining the Barclays Premier League champions on a two-year loan deal.

“I think we have got the player,” Sir Alex Ferguson said last night, but if the United manager had any concerns about the allegations facing Joorabchian, he will not have had far to go to speak to him. The pair were at a Wembley Stadium dinner hosted by Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, to celebrate ten years of government support for sport. Joorabchian declined to comment on the charges.

Until he turned his attentions to the UK after Tévez’s move from Corinthians to West Ham last summer, Joorabchian was the public face of MSI in Brazil. In 2004 the company he founded signed a ten-year partnership agreement with Corinthians, wiping out debts of about £11.5 million and immediately investing heavily in players.

Among those bought with MSI money were Tévez and Javier Mascherano, who helped Corinthians to the 2005 Brazilian championship, but only after the club was allowed to replay several games in the wake of a match-fixing scandal.

While Corinthians continued to enjoy success on the field, though, the Brazilian authorities began looking into why none of the money involved in the purchase of players appeared to pass through the country. The subsequent failure of MSI or Corinthians to explain the origin of the money – or how they intended to turn a profit – ultimately led them to launch an investigation amid suspicions of money-laundering.

Whether the allegations impact on Tévez’s impending move to Old Traf-ford remains to be seen, but a statement issued by Joorabchian last night claimed that “all parties involved in the transfer are now satisfied the administrative issues will be settled in the next few days”.

The Premier League has insisted that, for the transfer to be sanctioned, any fee must be paid to West Ham and not Joorabchian.

“We want it done cleanly, but as far as our club are concerned, everyone was excited when we thought we could get Tévez,” Ferguson said. “He’s exciting, his form is fantastic and at 23 he can get better.”

Sheffield United, meanwhile, will today ask for permission to appeal against the decision of an arbitration panel to dismiss their claims over the Tévez affair. The club will need to prove to the High Court that there was an error of law in the original decision and that it caused direct serious injustice. If an appeal is granted, the case could be heard today.

The arbitration panel said that it would probably have deducted points from West Ham for breaching Premier League rules in the transfer of Tévez and Mascherano had it sat in judgment originally. West Ham stayed up on the last day of the season, when the Yorkshire club, who finished three points below them, were relegated."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle2067289.ece

[Unrighteous]

Kia is now being pursued by Interpol for his involvement with the Money Laundering with MSI.

Brazil orders Berezovsky, soccer bosses detained
Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:27AM BST


SAO PAULO, July 12 (Reuters) - A Brazilian federal court on Thursday ordered Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky and several directors of the Brazilian soccer team Corinthians detained on money laundering charges.

Judge Fausto Martin de Sanctis froze the bank accounts of one of Brazil's most popular teams and said Interpol would be asked to carry out the overseas arrests of Berezovsky, Kia Joorabchian and Nojan Bedroud.

Four Brazilian directors of the club were also told to testify about the alleged money laundering and international transfers of soccer players next month.

Brazilian authorities have said Berezovsky is an investor in the sports management group Media Sports Investments, or MSI, which was run in Brazil by Joorabchian.

MSI bought a majority stake in Corinthians in 2004, but its authority was later challenged by longtime Brazilian directors of the club.

Berezovsky was Russia's most prominent and controversial businessman in the mid- and late-1990s and a Kremlin insider under Russia's first post-Soviet president, Boris Yeltsin.

But he fled to London in 2000 and has become a vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin. Britain has annoyed Moscow by rejecting requests to extradite the businessman to Russia on corruption charges.

[havarantagain]

Anyone who is contracted to such a (alleged) corrupt organisation would be well with in there rights to extract themselves from such (resign) and thus protect there own interest without similar suspicions. So get out Masher and appoint a legitimate advisor who has your interests at heart. What could they do? They wouldn't run the risk of a contractual scrutiny in the UK courts.
We may even get him on a 'free' !

[chrisbonnie]

where does this leave us regarding Mascherano?

[havarantagain]

Originally Posted by chrisbonnie

where does this leave us regarding Mascherano?

Hopefully someone will sit the lad down and point out his 'rights' and that he should review his working relationship with this company, simply because it could damage his football career working with this lot in the long run.
As far as we are concerned nothing changes he's on loan from Wist hum, but Parry should start exploring the durability of 'mashers' current arrangements by taking proper advise from top notch employment lawyers. In the interest of the player of course!

[KopOut]

Originally Posted by havarantagain

Hopefully someone will sit the lad down and point out his 'rights' and that he should review his working relationship with this company, simply because it could damage his football career working with this lot in the long run.
As far as we are concerned nothing changes he's on loan from Wist hum, but Parry should start exploring the durability of 'mashers' current arrangements by taking proper advise from top notch employment lawyers. In the interest of the player of course!

The question remains, did west ham have the right to take the 'extended loan' fee for Mascherano? Was he in fact a registered West Ham player? Did Liverpool pay the money to someone else? Did they pay the money to West Ham, only to have West Ham slide the cash over to ...someone else....

Mascherano, and Liverpool, could well get caught up in this.

[Sweeney287]

Not according to the BBC

WH apparently gave up his registration, therefore he was a free agent and we were well within our rights to approach.

BBC story

[Unrighteous]

Let's not bump the OTHER thread that is missing key stuff like the fact that KIA is being pursued by Interpol and not just wanted in Brazil.

Thanks.

[ali]

Milan: it is Tevez “sixth” of Galliani
17.07.2007 00,03 of Francisco Joy from Tuttosport
Little lasted E' the puzzle of the “sixth mysterious one” for the tifosi of the Milan: the player to which Adrian Galliani has alluded today on the pages of the Gazette of the Sport seems to be Carlitos Tevez. “Carlitos Brigante”, in a difficult condition for the transaction that is involved the MSI and Kia Joorabchian, is promised spouse of the Manchester United but the Milan seems in the last hours star working for the colpaccio: the operation seems not easy and also economically onerosa (around to 30 million euro), but the boy of the Fuerte Apache could indeed represent the great blow to surprise for the rossonero attack, to which he would guarantee estro, fantasy, freschezza and goal.

wind a manc up day tomorrow

[KopOut]

This whole Tevez situation is turning to bullshit - sick of it. Now the BBC is saying that West Ham must receive the majority of the fee, where as last week they were saying West Ham must receive the WHOLE fee....there's dirty deeds being done here, and once again, West Ham will get off and Man U' will get their man..you can see it coming.

[drewy]

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?...out+at+Hammers

West Ham to be relegated anybody?

What a complete cluster fuck. Unless there's a massive cover up I think the shit has gone through the fan.

[Thants]

more
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?...football_home&

[ali]

REWRITING THE GAME'S SCRIPT
Brian Reade 21/07/2007 - Mirror

AS THE saga over Carlos "Carlito" Tevez reaches epic proportions, news reaches us that Al Pacino has persuaded Brian de Palma to turn the tale into a sequel to their 1993 gangster classic.

Thanks to a Hollywood insider (OK he hands out the shoes in Hollywood Bowl) we can bring you an exclusive extract from the movie which is due for release as soon as FIFA work out which meat wholesalers own the rights to Carlito.

CARLITO'S WAY II (CERT X. Contains strong language, violence and scenes of naked greed)
Advertisement

SCENE ONE (The backroom of a South American lap dance bar. Two men in black pin-striped suits, shades and spats chop cocaine and count money)

JOSE: Ever thought of getting out of this game?

JUAN: How you mean?

JOSE: Making some decent dinero.

JUAN: What's wrong with whores, drugs, money scams and kidnapping?

JOSE: You heard about the Yankees buying up English football? The place is gushing with greenbacks. That's the future, amigo.

JUAN: You bustin' my cojones? You wanna kidnap a football club now?

JOSE: No. Make the best South American players offers they can't refuse, take 'em to England and make their chairmen offers they can't resist. Comprendi?

JUAN: Nah. I'll stick to kidnapping, grooming whores and money laundering.

JOSE: But that's what we'll be doin' stoopid ass. Believe me, amigo, there's a lot of dinero in footballers and if we don't get in there soon someone else could beat us to it.

JUAN: (Thinks) Hmm. Explain that offside rule to me again.

SCENE TWO (Two years later. A London courtroom. Kia Joorabchian in the dock. Sean Bean prosecuting, Eggert Magnusson defending, Richard Scudamore the judge)

BEAN: (Showing off his Blades tattoo) See that, that's my bloody life that is, and it's t'same for thousands like me. And that bloody Argie has taken it from us. Our demands are small. Our motives pure. Kick West Ham out of Premiership and gi' us fifty million quid.

EGGERT: M'lud this is ridiculous. That £5million fine was suitable punishment. It hurt so much we could only afford to pay £15m for Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker and put them on £70,000 a week.

SCUDAMORE: (Sighing) Can't we all just be friends and make lots of money?

BEAN: There's more at stake than money. There's pride. (Shows tattoo again) Yorkshire's been slighted. We demand revenge. Relegate t'Cockneys.

SCUDAMORE: Look, can I say I loved you in Sharpe, but, well West Ham are a big club. So helping you is more than my job's worth.

BEAN: But t'contract were mad. Where was the Sanity Clause?

SCUDAMORE: Mr Joorabchian, what about a Sanity Clause?

KIA: (Laughing) Hey, your honour. I no believe in Sanity Clause.

BEAN: What DO you believe in?

KIA: In taking poor boys from South American slums and liberating their talents.

BEAN: Liberatin' our millions more like.

KIA: Your honour, the only millions I care about are the millions of children my clients bring joy to.

BEAN: This is rubbish. We're off t'European Court o' Human Rights. (Kia winks up at the public gallery where Sir Alex Ferguson sits, rubbing his hands and grinning)

SCENE THREE (Manchester United's dressing room after the last game of the 2007-08 season. They've won the league by 12 points, but news has just arrived from Strasbourg that they are to be docked 13 points for fielding an illegible player and infringing other clubs' human rights, thus handing Liverpool their first title in 18 years)

FERGIE: (Kicks a boot at Carlito which cuts his eye) Bastard......

CARLITO: That will leave a nasty scar.

FERGIE: It'll match yer f****** neck then.

CARLITO: Why are you so cruel?

FERGIE: 'Cos you've just given the f****** Premiership to those f****** Scousers.

CARLITO: But I scored you 23 goals.

FERGIE: That's nae f****** use to me now is it. (Turning on Gary Neville) It's your fault, too, Dot f****** Cotton.

CARLITO: (Weeping) This is mucho upsetting.

FERGIE: Don't you f****** cry for me Argen-f******-tina.

FERGIE: (Shouting) Any of youse leak this minor tiff tae the f****** press and youse are deid men.

SCENE FOUR (Two weeks later at the Bernabeu Stadium. Carlito holds up a Real Madrid scarf. In the background a man in shades hands a briefcase to Kia)

CARLITO: (Reading from a piece of paper) This is my spiritual home. I want to spend the rest of my life here.

SCENE FIVE (Carlito and Kia in limo heading back to hotel. Kia counts out cash from briefcase. His phone rings)

KIA: Ah, Mr Berlusconi. Have you had a chance to think over my offer. (Carlito tugs at his sleeve and Kia hands him some sweets) Indeed, it is one you can't refuse. (Carlito tugs again and Kia gives him a crayoning book) Yes, full rights. (Carlito tugs again and Kia hands him crayons) You would own him the way you own your son. (Carlito smiles and starts colouring giraffes) Splendid choice Mr Berlusconi. This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. (Turns mobile off) Change of plan driver. Take us to the airport. Carlito, ever heard of Milan?

[Bert]

Originally Posted by Sweeney287

Not according to the BBC

WH apparently gave up his registration, therefore he was a free agent and we were well within our rights to approach.

BBC story

Who are we loaning him from then?
We arent allowed to deal with Joorabchin are we?

[ali]

Heads in the sand over ownership madness

Jul 21 2007

by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo


IF LIVERPOOL want to sign Javier Mascherano at the end of this season, it’s expected he’ll cost £20m. Good news for West Ham, you might think.

Alan Curbishley’s Icelandic/Russian benefactors might not need to dip into their pockets so much if he wants to bid for players next summer.

Except, if Liverpool do buy Mascherano, the accounts at Upton Park won’t be swelled by a penny.

His agents, MSI, own the economic rights to the Argentinian.

As with Carlos Tevez’s ‘complicated’ move to Manchester United, any fees supposedly passing between the clubs will be quickly passed on to the third party. This is prohibited by the Premiership, which is why West Ham were heavily fined at the end of last season.

Laughably, the Premiership’s rulers believe Tevez has belonged 100 per cent to West Ham ever since they punished the club, taking on face value the claim the deal was altered as result of their intervention.

The Premier League need to convince themselves of this in order to divert attention from the almighty c**k-up at the heart of West Ham’s continued presence in the top flight.

The only reason Tevez was allowed to play in the remaining few games of last season, after the abnormalities of his deal were exposed and West Ham were fined, is because the Hammers said the contract with MSI had been ripped up and they owned the player.

“Fine then, he can play,” said the Premier League, seemingly oblivious to the fact that even if West Ham did shred their documents, the MSI agency certainly did not and the original conditions of their deal stand.

Everyone knows nothing changed. To prove it, investigators need only follow the money trail when Tevez joins United, or if Mascherano moves permanently to Anfield.

Liverpool and United have worked overtime to ensure everything is as it should be at their end, but in doing so the irregularities at Upton Park have become clear. That’s why Rick Parry, correctly, gave evidence on Sheffield United’s behalf during the summer.

If the catalogue of ineptitude which allows West Ham to escape relegation wasn’t bad enough, the lack of pressure put upon them by a largely ambivalent media is just as disturbing.

Many will be tired of the whole ‘Tevez affair’, but how many of the newspaper industry’s genuinely big (in some cases really, really big) hitters have been prepared to go in where it’s dirty to expose what’s happened at Upton Park?

Could, by chance, the fact so many of our most influential sports writers are loyal Hammers fans have anything to do with their reluctance to back Sheffield United’s recent court case?

One such scribe appeared on a slot on Sky TV a few weeks ago to say he was bored and felt the time had come for the Yorkshire club to draw a line under the affair and accept their fate.

“This had nothing to do with the new regime. They should not be punished,” scream the Upton Park apologists, who seem as keen as the Premier League and West Ham board for the issue to die a quiet death.

At the very least, they ought to be asking how the ‘Icelandic’ consortium allowed the Tevez deal to go unchecked through the due diligence process.

Did their accountants notice nothing of suspicion?

Had West Ham been the victims in this case, I suspect many a London hack would be spending their eighth week in a bed and breakfast near Bramall Lane, determined to find the evidence which would allow the Hammers to avoid relegation.

It’s not only the leniency shown to West Ham which raises serious issues of objectivity in certain sections of the media.

On Monday, Sky Sports News dedicated hours to a theatrical training session by David Beckham.

It was the kind of trivial non-event the channel thrives upon, and yet when a serious, relevant story broke – that of the three major clubs raided by the police – it was allocated a mere three minutes at the top of the hour.

“This has nothing to do with the new Newcastle regime,” an apologetic reporter announced from outside St James’ Park. “The new board have promised full co-operation in this matter… Now, back to Posh and Becks in L.A.”

Sky didn’t just read the Newcastle press release, they sounded like the press office.

Why have Newcastle got such a hold on Sky? Are they worried Jim White won’t be invited to host the next unveiling of a player of the calibre of Michael Owen?

West Ham, Newcastle, Portsmouth and others appear to have friends in high places. If there’s any justice, the Hammers will end the season in a particularly low one.

[rebel23]

funny comments about Beckham, I read thetimes online before and their sports section is full of it, crazy

so Mascherano is going to cost 20m then? that's quite a sum

[bobhorse]

Originally Posted by rebel23

funny comments about Beckham, I read thetimes online before and their sports section is full of it, crazy

so Mascherano is going to cost 20m then? that's quite a sum

Best win the Prem then to ensure we have the cash