Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao - Spanish Liga - Camp Nou stadium, Barcelona - 17/1/16Barcelona's Lionel Messi shows to the crowd the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2015 trophy before their Spanish League soccer match against Athletic Bilbao. (Reuters)
Spanish court officials say Lionel Messi's tax fraud trial has been set for May 31-June 3.
Messi and his father, Jorge Horacio Messi, have been charged with three counts of tax fraud and could be sentenced to nearly two years in prison if found guilty.
They are accused of defrauding Spain's tax office of 4.1 million euros ($4.4 million) in unpaid taxes from 2007-09.
The case is centered on the alleged unlawful activities of Messi's father, but authorities said the Barcelona player knew enough to also be named in the case.
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