
<p>German police have reportedly raided Bayern Munich’s headquarters. <em><a href="https://www.bild.de/regional/muenchen/muenchen-regional-politik-und-wirtschaft/fc-bayern-muenchen-oligarchen-razzia-wegen-putin-freund-usmanov-83732280.bild.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bild</a></em> is claiming that police blitzed the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/bundesliga-tv-schedule/">Bundesliga</a> club in search of certain financial documents. The raid, however, does not necessarily involve a case surrounding the German club. Instead, authorities are building a money laundering case against Alisher Usmanov.</p>



<p>The German outlet reached out to the prosecutor’s office to obtain clarity on the subject matter. “Our authority is not conducting any investigations or fines against <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/bayern-munich-tv-schedule/">FC Bayern Munich</a> or those responsible or members of the club,” <a href="https://www.bild.de/regional/muenchen/muenchen-regional-politik-und-wirtschaft/fc-bayern-muenchen-oligarchen-razzia-wegen-putin-freund-usmanov-83732280.bild.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated</a> the authorities. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">📷 MegaFon branding disappears from Goodison Park overnight after Everton suspend commercial ties with Alisher Usmanov’s companies <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EFC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EvertonFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EvertonFC</a> <a href="https://t.co/r85afxrGDk">pic.twitter.com/r85afxrGDk</a></p>— PA Dugout (@PAdugout) <a href="https://twitter.com/PAdugout/status/1499293500562714625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2022</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h2>Usmanov financially linked with Everton</h2>



<p>However, police are currently looking into Usmanov. The Uzbek-Russian oligarch was sanctioned by British authorities because of his personal ties with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Anyone directly linked with Putin saw their assets frozen following Russian’s invasion of Ukraine. Usmanov’s financial involvement with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule/">Premier League</a> club Everton is clear.</p>



<p>Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Everton released an <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/everton-suspend-sponsorship-agreements-with-russian-billionaire-usmanov-20220302-CMS-373594.html">official statement</a> on Usmanov’s involvement in the club. The Merseyside club confirmed that they would suspend sponsorship agreements with three businesses linked with Usmanov.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Investigators from the Federal Criminal Police Office searched the Allianz Arena and the headquarters of FC Bayern on Tuesday. Reason: A money laundering procedure against Russian oligarch and billionaire Alisher Usmanov [<a href="https://twitter.com/BILD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BILD</a>] <a href="https://t.co/nWmDGA9dxI">pic.twitter.com/nWmDGA9dxI</a></p>— Bayern &amp; Germany (@iMiaSanMia) <a href="https://twitter.com/iMiaSanMia/status/1651991625869000704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Along with these sponsorship deals, Usmanov also has personal ties with current Everton owner Farhad Moshiri. There have even been allegations that Moshiri was merely a front and Usmanov actually owned the club. However, Usmanov’s personal spokesperson has denied these claims. </p>



<p><em>“Mr. Moshiri did at times turn to Mr. Usmanov for advice given the latter’s significant experience in football, but [Moshiri] made all the decisions,”</em> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jan/15/questions-mount-over-alisher-usmanovs-links-with-everton-fc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">claimed</a> the spokesperson.</p>



<h2>Oligarch also has ties to Bayern’s honorary president</h2>



<p>Whilst never having hid his business links with Everton, the recent Usmanov-linked raid on Bayern Munich’s offices raises eyebrows. The German club’s honorary president Uli Hoeneß is apparently familiar with the oligarch. According to the aforementioned news source, the duo own properties in the same area of Germany. Usmanov was also given VIP tickets to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/champions-league-tv-schedule/">Champions League</a> matches at the Allianz Arena in the past as well.</p>



<p>This week’s raid is an attempt to gain more information about Usmanov’s alleged money laundering. The oligarch’s yacht was confiscated and his three German villas were all searched in 2022. Despite owning and living in Bavaria, Usmanov apparently never filed a German tax form.</p>



<p>Photo credit: <strong>IMAGO / Russian Look</strong></p>


Bayern Munich's club headquarters was raided by German police earlier this week as officials continue to investigate Alisher Usmanov

German feds raid Bayern Munich in Usmanov money laundering case


<p>The state of affairs at Everton has seemed to reach a new low following their<a href="https:\/\/worldsoccertalk.com/news/everton-lose-again-as-fans-demand-change-20230114-WST-415506.html"> 2-1 loss at home</a> against Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday evening.</p>



<p>Prior to the game, the club’s board of directors were advised to stay away from Goodison Park as what the club described as ‘a real and credible threat to safety and security’.</p>



<p>There was a sit in demonstration against the board by thousands of Everton fans who demanded owner Farhad Moshiri to make changes at the club including both the board and executive levels. </p>



<h5>Moshiri rejects fan demands</h5>



<p>Moshiri however dismissed the demands leading to widespread resignation of Fan advisory board.</p>



<p>On the pitch too, things couldn’t have gone worse as Frank Lampard’s terrible side went on to lose the game after taking the lead. The Toffees currently sit 19<sup>th</sup> in the standings having lost 4 of their last 5 league games.</p>



<h5>Role of Usmanov unclear</h5>



<p>The <a href="https:\/\/www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jan/15/questions-mount-over-alisher-usmanovs-links-with-everton-fc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guardian</a> have now reported that several football managers have raised questions over the ownership of the club. </p>



<p>It is claimed that several of them were interviewed for the managerial post in the presence of Uzbek Oligarch Alisher Usmanov who had earlier been sanctioned. </p>



<p>The report comes as a major surprise after the club had publicly announced in <a href="https:\/\/www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/02/everton-suspend-ties-with-russian-companies-linked-to-alisher-usmanov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">March of 2022</a> that they had suspended all sponsorship deals with Russian companies that were backed by Usmanov.</p>



<p>It is believed that Usmanov attended several meetings alongside Moshiri since his initial acquisition of the club in 2016 until his assets were frozen after Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Usmanov was swiftly sanctioned falling under the category of ‘Putin’s associates’.</p>



<p>Managers who were interviewed for the job were however left with a feeling that Usmanov partly owns the club or has stakes in some shape or form. </p>



<p>Moshiri however has consistently denied the claims saying that he is the owner of the club.</p>



<p>Usmanov’s spokesperson however hasn’t denied the Uzbek’s presence in the managerial interviews saying, “Mr Moshiri did at times turn to Mr Usmanov for advice given the latter’s significant experience in football, but he [Moshiri] made all the decisions.” Moshiri’s spokesperson however denied the claims saying, “Mr Usmanov has never interviewed or been present during an interview.”</p>



<p>The report from Guardian also states that several managers have claimed that Usmanov might partly own the club while one specific manager mentioned that the oligarch had visited him in Germany regarding the job. Lampard had also earlier <a href="https:\/\/www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/frank-lampard-alisher-usmanov-breaking-23268037" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated</a> that Usmanov was in a Zoom call during his interview.</p>



<p>It remains to be seen what the developments would be surrounding the club with these fresh allegations but it looks like nothing’s going right at Everton both on and off the pitch.</p>



<p>Photo credit: IMAGO: Darren Staples / Sportimage</p>


In the wake of Everton's poor form, there is some confusion over the ownership of the club, particularly the role of Alisher Usmanov

Will Everton’s real owner please stand up - World Soccer Talk

Will Everton’s real owner please stand up

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German feds raid Bayern Munich in Usmanov money laundering case

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Will Everton’s real owner please stand up