Premier League - Storrie denies tax evasion

Reuters - Wed, 04 Nov 16:48:00 2009

Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie has denied a charge of tax evasion over the 2003 transfer deal for Amdy Faye.

FOOTBALL Premier League Portsmouth owner Sulaiman Al Fahim and chairman Peter Storrie - 0

Britain's Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office said Storrie (pictured right) is accused of defrauding Britain's tax office by concealing the payment of a signing-on fee made to Senegalese midfielder Faye when he joined from French club Auxerre.

The full charge said that he "cheated the public revenue" by arranging for the fee to Faye to be paid via bank accounts of an agent, William McKay, in order to evade the payment of tax and national insurance contributions.

Storrie is to appear at London's City of Westminster Magistrates Court on November 16.

In a statement, Storrie said he was astonished at the decision to charge him and that he had not played a direct role in the deal to sign Faye.

"At the time negotiations to acquire this player were concluded, Mr Storrie was on honeymoon," the statement said.

"Mr Storrie will defend the allegations in the strongest possible terms and is entirely confident that he will be exonerated not only of the allegation of cheating the public revenue, but any suggestion that anything untoward took place concerning any transfer dealings in which he was concerned."

The RCPO said there was no maximum penalty for the offence, meaning that, should he be found guilty, the court could give whatever sentence it believed to be fitting.

Portsmouth are bottom of the Premier League after just two wins and a draw from their opening 11 games.

Last week the South Coast club were banned from signing any new players because of unpaid debts to other clubs.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 6 of 6

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  1. if he's found to be on the fiddle he could end up­ sharing the same cell as marlon...

    From SIR OSWALD MOSLEY, on Thu 5 Nov 7:38AM

  2. If he is found guilty, a 100% jail term is guaranteed­ for the big old TAX evasion.I mean you can mug, Slash,­ steal, burglary, even commit fraud and still escape­ jail, but when it's perpetrated against her­ majesties revenues and custom's.See ya??? Damage­ limitations fella

    From PWilson, on Wed 4 Nov 9:27PM

  3. harry boy could be next very dodgey it seems strange­ that the bookies stopped taking bets on him getting the­ boot

    From blueblood64, on Wed 4 Nov 6:17PM

  4. Going down in more ways than one... ;-)

    From rob, on Wed 4 Nov 6:02PM

  5. What does the position of Portsmouth FC in the­ premiership and matches won have to do with the case­ brought against Peter Storrie also what bearing does­ the signing of players ban have to do with the­ case...get real stick to the facts without the­ embellishments.

    From Brian, on Wed 4 Nov 6:01PM

  6. Poor Old Pompey...Ding @#$% Ding @#$%!

    From Richard, on Wed 4 Nov 5:24PM
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