Of all the things to bring down tax allegations a propensity for online food delivery services is not most peoples’ pick.
Former English football star Samir Nasri is at the centre of a bizarre tax probe in France — with investigators allegedly using his takeaway food habits as a key piece of evidence.
The ex-Arsenal and Manchester City midfielder is under investigation by French authorities who suspect he has been living in Paris despite officially declaring himself a tax resident in Dubai.
According to French outlet Les Echos, Nasri’s account activity on food delivery app Deliveroo raised red flags after 212 orders were sent to a Paris address in 2022.
Authorities are reportedly arguing that Nasri’s “centre of vital interest” – a key legal test in tax residency cases – is actually in France, not the Middle East.
Travel data and lifestyle indicators allegedly show the 38-year-old spent between 126 and 208 days per year in France between 2021 and 2023, compared to just 42 to 124 days in the UAE.
Investigators have also pointed to Nasri’s ownership of multiple properties in Paris, financial stakes in French companies and his role as a TV pundit, including recording up to 45 shows for premium French broadcaster Canal+.
If the claims are upheld, Nasri could be slugged with a bill worth around €5.5 million (about $9.18 million AUD).
That figure reportedly includes most backdated income tax from 2020–2022 ($8.61m in AUD) and around £70,000 ($134,000 AUD) in property taxes.
French authorities have allegedly already taken action, freezing one of his bank accounts and placing a legal claim over his Paris property as collateral.
Nasri is said to strongly deny the allegations and has lodged an appeal against the measures, expressing “concern about the uncertainty created by the court’s decision”.
He is reportedly attempting to prove his financial base and primary income sources are located overseas, maintaining his status as a Dubai tax resident.
Nasri rose to prominence after joining Arsenal from Olympique de Marseille in 2008, before a controversial move to Manchester City, where he won two Premier League titles.
He later had spells with Sevilla FC, Antalyaspor, West Ham United and RSC Anderlecht before retiring in 2021.
Since hanging up his boots, he has worked in media but now faces a potentially costly off-field fight.
The saga isn’t Nasri’s first brush with trouble, previously serving am 18 month ban after breaching anti-doping rules following an intravenous treatment — a case that drew scrutiny from UEFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
