Former Super Eagles left-back Taiye Taiwo has been
hit with tax fraud charges of over 1 million Euros in France, and could lose
his Marseille mansion.
A Marseille court has already started judicial
proceeding to seize his mansion based in Allauch, a French community situated
east of Marseille and put at €600,000.
According to findings of the French fiscal
authorities, Taiye Taiwo defaulted in the payment of income taxes in 2008 and
2009 as well as property taxes in 2011 on his 900m2 home, which they say will
be auctioned at €200,000, three times lower than its market value.
Taiwo, is said to owe €1,025,000 in taxes, but can
apply through his lawyer for instalment or delayed payment if he is not
financially fit to settle at the moment.
The 28-year-old defender who was not present at the
tax office is yet to respond to the charges, played six seasons at Olympique
Marseille between 2005 and 2011 before joining Italian giants AC Milan and he
recently joined Turkish side Bursaspor and currently earns €2 million per
annum.
