Portsmouth chief charged with tax evasion

Peter Storrie, Portsmouth's chief executive, has been charged with tax evasion relating to a transfer deal dating back six years ago.

Mr Storrie, who has vowed to clear his name, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on November 16, the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office said.

It is claimed that Mr Storrie concealed a signing-on fee for Amdy Mustapha Faye, who was transferred from Auxerre to Portsmouth in August 2003.

Mr Faye was paid £250,000 ($413,000) via the bank accounts of an agent, William McKay, as a signing-on fee to evade payment of tax or national insurance, it is alleged.

The offence is alleged to have been committed between July 1 2003 and August 12 2005.

Mr Storrie, who has been on bail for nearly two years, last month received the support of the club and its new owner, Ali Al-Faraj, when it emerged that he was expecting to be charged.

"The club has been fully co-operative with all enquiries from all parties. We will help in any way possible in assisting Peter to defend the allegations and to help clear Peter's name at the earliest possible opportunity," the club said in a statement at the time.

The inquiry into Mr Storrie is part of a wider investigation by City of London (LSE: CIN.L - news) police and Revenue and Customs into football corruption. All of those questioned deny wrongdoing.

The charge against its chief executive comes at a troubled time for the club. The club's ownership has changed twice in recent months, and last week the Premier League banned it from buying new players because it said had failed to clear unpaid debts to other clubs.

Portsmouth has not officially commented on the ban.