(ANSA) - Rome, January 21 - Rome prosecutors on Wednesday requested that former Napoli and Argentina soccer great Diego Maradona be indicted for allegedly defaming the former head of Italian tax collection agency Equitalia, Attilio Befera.
Maradona is involved in a long-standing dispute with the Italian tax authorities, who say he owes them around 40 million euros. In 2012 he said he was the victim of persecution by Equitalia.
The dispute regards alleged unpaid taxes on off-the-books earnings in sponsorship and merchandising deals in his late 1980s glory-day earnings with Napoli and interest on that income.
Maradona, who played for the Italian club between 1984 and 1991, is revered in Naples for helping the city's soccer team win two Serie A titles and the UEFA Cup.
The former player had a diamond-studded earring and a Rolex watch seized, among other assets, on past visits to Italy.
Befera was also head of Italy's inland revenue agency, from 2008 to 2014.
A court will now decide whether to send the 54-year-old to trial.
Trial requested for Maradona for tax defamation
Soccer great says was victim of Equitalia persecution