Sylvain Marveaux arrested in tax fraud investigation

PARIS (AP) — Former Newcastle midfielder Sylvain Marveaux is among four people placed in custody in France as part of the investigation into suspected tax evasion and money laundering in the transfer of soccer players between England and France.

A person with direct knowledge of the case told The Associated Press that the 31-year-old Marveaux was arrested Wednesday during a wave of raids and arrests in both countries. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because that person was not authorized to speak publicly about the case.

French newspaper Le Parisien first reported Marveaux’s arrest.

The three other people are players’ agents, the same person told the AP.

French authorities are assisting the British-led investigation, which centers on whether payments were hidden to players, agents or third parties to evade income tax and social security contributions.

Premier League leader Chelsea, London rival West Ham and Newcastle are the only clubs in England so far to be publicly embroiled in the far-reaching probe. Britain’s tax authority, which seized financial records, computers and phones in raids, said the suspected fraud amounts to 5 million pounds ($6 million).

Marveaux currently plays for French club Lorient. Nobody at the club was immediately available for comment.

Marveaux joined Newcastle in 2011 on a five-year contract before signing a loan deal with Guingamp that brought him back to France three years later.

Many Premier League players are French and Newcastle has recruited several of them over the past few years.

The escalation in the investigation on Wednesday followed HMRC telling legislators in December that 43 players and 12 soccer clubs in the British leagues, alongside eight agents, were being investigated.

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