Liverpool Champions League winner ON TRIAL for money laundering in France

Djibril Cissé, who spent two seasons at Liverpool in the 2000s, has been tried in a French court for money laundering related to tax fraud.

According to L’Equipe, Cissé was tried for money laundering related to tax fraud in Bastia and a one-year suspended prison sentence as well as a €100,000 fine has been requested against the 41-cap French striker.

Cissé did not attend the trial, which was carried out in his absence, and the verdict will be delivered on 13 November by the correctional court of Bastia.

The charges relate to a single-person simplified joint-stock company based in Furiani, Corsica – where Cissé currently resides.

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What punishment will Cissé face?

Although the prosecution has requested a punishment of a one-year suspended sentence and a €100,000 fine, the judiciary can decide which punishment to give Cissé and this could include a custodial sentence.

As per L’Equipe, Cissé’s lawyer insists that “there is no tax fraud” blaming the situation on difficulties with an accounting firm that Cissé was consulting.

Cissé’s case is complex and the situation has been developing for several years but the former Liverpool striker will learn his fate in November.

Cissé’s time at Liverpool

Cissé is remembered fondly by some Liverpool supporters for scoring his penalty in the 2005 Champions League final, seeing the trophy return to Anfield for the first time in 21 years.

The Frenchman also suffered a nasty leg-break whilst on the pitch for the Reds when his boot got caught in the turf in a freak accident during a game against Blackburn Rovers.

Cissé scored 24 goals in 79 appearances for the Reds, including two goals in the UEFA Super Cup in 2005 and also scored the opening goal of the 2006 FA Cup final that Liverpool would win 3-1 against West Ham.

The Frenchman left Anfield in 2006, when he returned to his home nation to play for Marseille, but the 43-year-old made a return to Merseyside in March when a Liverpool Legends team, managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson, beat Ajax Legends 4-2 in a charity match.