Maradona's ex-wife denounces him for fraud

Buenos Aires, July 22 Claudia Villafane, the ex-wife of Argentinean soccer legend Diego Maradona, late Tuesday denounced him for fraud in an Argentinean court, media reported on Wednesday.

Villafane, 52, appeared in front of a Buenos Aires court with her daughter Giannina to accuse Maradona of having embezzled almost $6 mn that went missing from his bank accounts, Xinhua news agency reported.

Maradona, 54, was not present during proceedings but sent a message via a television program, saying he wanted his money back.

"All I want is my money. I did not denounce anybody when I was robbed and I will not do so now. All I want is my money. I will not put forward any names as I have never done that. However, if they do not give me back my money, they will be sorry," he affirmed.

The 1986 World Cup winner also advised Gianinna and Dalma, his two daughters with Villafane, and Jana, his daughter from an extra-marital affair, that they should "remain calm".

The scandal between Maradona and his ex-wife, to whom he was married from 1998 and 2003, broke out when the star revealed almost $6 mn were missing from his accounts. 

According to Infobae, an investigation last year revealed that Villafane owns three apartments in an exclusive Miami tower worth $2 mn each and has $3 mn stashed in a bank in Uruguay, which had not been declared to authorities.

However, Villafane's lawyer Fernando Burlando called a press conference in which he maintained his client's innocence.

"If there was any tax evasion, the responsibility lies with the one who was paying that tax, which was not Claudia Villafane. The judicial system will give Maradona a major setback," he stated.