According to The Athletic, following an independent Premier League panel's decision that Manchester City FC breached financial regulations multiple times, Meg Hillier, chair of the UK Parliament's Treasury Committee, has written to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to draw attention to potential tax implications arising from the case and to confirm whether they are already aware of the situation.
The Premier League announced on Tuesday the independent panel's verdict in Manchester City FC's case. According to The Athletic, Manchester City FC was found guilty of breaching regulations more than 100 times involving inflated revenue and concealed expenses between 2009 and 2018. The panel determined that the club benefited by more than £900 million during this period.
In a Premier League statement, the violations were described as "systematic breaches." The panel's 40-page written decision also referenced "forged contracts," "falsified accounts," and multiple breaches of integrity obligations. Manchester City FC has firmly denied the panel's findings and stated it will continue to take action to clear the club's name.
The case originated from a series of investigative reports by German media outlet Der Spiegel, citing documents from Football Leaks, which included allegations that Manchester City FC attempted to circumvent Financial Fair Play rules by inflating the value of certain commercial contracts.
One point of significant interest concerns former Manchester City FC manager Roberto Mancini. According to leaked emails, Mancini was alleged to have received payments as a consultant for Al Jazira, another club owned by Sheikh Mansour, while managing Manchester City FC. Both Mancini and Manchester City FC have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
After the independent panel released its findings, UK tax consulting firm Tax Policy Associates published a report suggesting that based on currently disclosed information, they believe the arrangements may involve approximately £12 million in unpaid UK tax.
The firm believes that should the panel's finding that Manchester City FC deliberately submitted false accounts be ultimately confirmed, it could trigger additional issues under UK company law and potentially prompt tax or even criminal investigations.
It should be noted that the approximately £12 million figure and conclusions about "tax evasion" come from Tax Policy Associates and do not represent findings from an investigation already conducted by HMRC.
In his letter to JP Marks, HMRC's chief executive, Hillier cited relevant sections of the independent panel's decision, which found that Manchester City FC used arrangements to conceal the club's "true liabilities" for services provided by an unnamed individual. Some arrangements were deemed "fictitious" or failing to reflect the true economic relationship. Leaked emails suggest this unnamed individual is Mancini.
Hillier asked HMRC to confirm whether they are aware of these findings from the independent panel and whether the tax authority has requested or received the complete unredacted report.
She noted that while taxpayer confidentiality rules may limit what HMRC can disclose publicly, she hopes the tax authority can confirm its awareness of the significance of these issues and the public interest at stake in this case. She also requested that HMRC provide an overview of its current investigations into tax issues in the football industry and respond by October 15.
When The Athletic contacted Manchester City FC for comment, the club declined. HMRC similarly declined to disclose whether it has launched investigations into matters related to Mancini or other issues revealed by the independent panel's decision, citing its policy of not commenting publicly on cases involving identifiable taxpayers.
Meanwhile, the implications of the Manchester City FC case have extended well beyond discussions of sporting sanctions. Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham previously stated in an interview that he would be deeply concerned about losing the club's owner and thanked City Football Group and the owner for investing not only in the Etihad Stadium and surrounding campus but also substantially in Manchester itself.
However, a UK government spokesperson later stated that the Prime Minister has made clear that the issues raised by the preliminary findings are very serious and that no one should feel they are above the law. The spokesperson added that since the independent process is still ongoing, it should be allowed to reach completion and the final outcome should be respected. Should wrongdoing ultimately be confirmed, those responsible should face appropriate consequences.
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