30 March 2023
NEWS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE
CORPORATE SECURITY EXPERTS SAY FABIO PARATICI WORLDWIDE BAN CASTS DOUBT ON TOTTENHAM’S DUE DILIGENCE
KCS GROUP EUROPE SAYS PREMIER LEAGUE CLUB “DID NOT LOOK HARD ENOUGH” AT RISKS
KCS Group Europe’s Director of Operations, Leon Goldman, a former investigator at the Football Association, says there are mounting questions over Tottenham Hotspur’s due diligence processes.
Goldman says there is a clear requirement for thorough due diligence to be conducted when senior staff are appointed in football. When Spurs appointed Fabio Paratici as managing director of football it should have been carried out.
The club is said to be seeking clarification after FIFA’s ban on Paratici in Italy was extended worldwide.
Goldman says: “The investigations in Italy should have been highlighted to the Tottenham board during the recruitment process.
“It remains to be seen whether Tottenham were aware of the investigations concerning Fabio Paratici’s tenure at Juventus, but the recent worldwide ban by FIFA would suggest that they did not look hard enough at the risk and the implications, that have now materialised.”
Paratici joined Tottenham in June 2021 as Director of Football after eleven years at Italian giant Juventus.
Two months prior to his move the Public Prosecutor in Turin opened a criminal investigation after COVISOC, the supervisory regulator for the Serie A football league, began scrutinising deals by Juventus going back to 2018, involving transfers and the reduction of players’ salaries during Covid.
In January, the Italian club was found guilty of false accounting and Paratici, among other senior figures, was handed a 30-month ban in Italy. He and Juventus have appealed the ruling.
A statement from FIFA said that following a request from the Italian FA (FIGC) the sanctions on a number of football officials, including Paratici, have been extended to have worldwide effect.
Premier League Tottenham said they were only informed of the decision on Wednesday afternoon and none of the parties had any advance notice of the extension.
Paratici, who has denied wrongdoing and is appealing the ruling, may have to walk away from his role with Spurs.
Goldman adds: “With the recent departure of manager Alberto Conte, the loss of Paratici could derail any medium to long-term plans Tottenham had in place.”
Goldman’s previous role at the FA was to ensure the rules and governance of professional football were upheld. He investigated fraud, anti-doping, irregular betting patterns, corruption, discrimination and financial irregularities.
KCS Group Europe is a leading provider of corporate security and intelligence risks. It operates discreetly around the world on complex cases of fraud, theft, corruption and market dynamics.
ENDS
