Pini Zahavi charged in Belgian fraud investigation
BRUSSELS —
Influential Israeli soccer agent Pini Zahavi has been charged in Belgium as
part of an investigation into alleged wrongdoing at second-division club Royal
Excelsior Mouscron, the federal prosecutor’s office said Friday.
The office confirmed Zahavi’s indictment following reports
in the Belgian press that the 78-year-old former journalist had been charged by
an investigating judge with “forgery, use of forgeries, swindling and money
laundering” in the Mouscron case.
The club was placed under provisional administration two
years ago because of suspicions of money laundering and was later charged.
According to local media, Belgian prosecutors suspect
Zahavi, who took over the club in 2015, of illegally financing Mouscron through
offshore companies.
The club is currently owned by businessman Gerard Lopez.
Zahavi is one of the most influential agents in world
soccer. He was involved in the transfers of many star players, including
Neymar’s record move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.
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