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Media Sports Investment (MSI) was a London-based international investment fund that until June 2006 was headed by the Iranian-born, British-educated, businessman Kia Joorabchian. It has attracted considerable attention for its partnership between 2004 and 2007 of Corinthians football club in Brazil, and for its involvement in the 'third-party' ownership of players, notably the Argentinian forward Carlos Tevez. The source of the money behind MSI was a subject of considerable speculation. Roman Abramovich, owner of Chelsea, was at one time rumored to own a 15% share in the group, while Joorabchian was persistently linked to the oligarch Boris Berezovsky and his associate Badri Patarkatsishvili.〔("Corinthians receive their own benefactor" ), The Guardian, 10 December 2004. Retrieved 2010-08-03〕〔Cobain, Ian, Kelso, Paul and Phillips, Tom. ("The boys from Argentina -via Brazil and secretive offshore finance company" ), The Guardian 14 September 2006. Retrieved 2010-07-25.〕 ==MSI and Corinthians== Media Sports Investment Limited was founded in 2004 in London by Joorabchian and Nojan Bedroud (a FIFA licensed agent) to control Corinthians football department. The agreed 10-year deal stated that MSI would invest $35 million into the club –$20 million of which would cover debts– in return for 51% of profits over the duration of the contract.〔Bellos, Alex. ("Is this man the new Abramovich or is he a front for the real thing?" ), The Guardian 10 December 2004. Retrieved 2010-08-03.〕 In the wake of MSI's involvement a stream of new players arrived at the club, players who were engaged to play for Corinthians but whose economic rights were partly or wholly owned by the investment fund. According to the investigation of São Paulo police, MSI not only financed Corinthians but also financed to buy players directly, namely Carlos Tevez (35%),〔 Carlos Alberto (50%)〔 and Sebastián Domínguez (100%).〔 While Nilmar, the labour court of Brazil had cancelled his contract with MSI and Corinthians in 2007. MSI also worked with Global Soccer Agencies bought players for Corinthians, namely Javier Mascherano and Carlos Alberto (another 50%).〔 Marcelo Mattos,〔 which bought by Devita Limited (the company also financed MSI Brasil and Corinthians) also played for Corinthians. Other players such as Rafael Moura, Johnny Herrera and Renato Ribeiro were linked to MSI by Brazil media. The signing of Tevez from Boca Juniors for reported US$22 million〔 (US$16 million plus various fee〔) in December 2004 The partnership with Corinthians had been the subject of investigation by the Brazilian police, although no wrongdoing was found.〔Dart, Tom and Szczepanik, Nick. ("The transfer deals that continue to make the headlines" ), The Times 12 September 2009. Retrieved 2010-08-03.〕 In July 2007, however, a Brazilian judge issued arrest warrants for Boris Berezovsky, Joorabchian, Bedroud and four officials of club, including the chairman, Alberto Dualib, on charges of money laundering.〔("Brazil orders Berezovsky arrest" ), BBC 13 July 2007. Retrieved 2010-07-25.〕 MSI Brazil arm, MSI Licenciamentos e Administracao Ltda, received money from Devetia Limited, a BVI company. MSI Licenciamentos was owned by Devetia, MSI Group Limited (formed in 2000 as Exnon Holdings Limited) and Just Sports Inc., (later sold all the shares to MSI Group and Devetia), which Joorabchian was the director of Just Sports and the rest was linked to Berezovsky, Patarkatsishvili and Pini Zahavi. However BVI company act protected the real identity of the ownership. The federal attorneys Silvio Luis Martins de Oliveira and Rodrigo de Grandis were reported by the Brazilian legal website consultor Juridico as saying that MSI's transactions were "carried out with the use of numerous offshore accounts which have the single and well-known intention of distancing the investor and the illicit origin of the resources from their final destination, in this case the purchase and sale of players".〔Phillips, Tom and Scott, Matt. ("Arrest order issued for Tevez's agent accused of money laundering" ), The Guardian 13 July 2007. Retrieved 2010-08-03.〕 In July 2007, in the light of the money laundering allegations, Corinthians broke off their association with MSI.〔("Corinthians break off MSI partnership" ), ESPN 26 July 2007. Retrieved 2010-07-25.〕 Despite winning the league in 2005, there had already been a public breakdown in relations between Corinthians and MSI. The club had seven different coaches in 18 months, including Daniel Passarella, Márcio Bittencourt and Antônio Lopes, and had struggled for form. Joorabchian's involvement with team affairs had come in for criticism and both Tevez and Javier Mascherano had been moved to West Ham United in the English Premier League.〔Kent, Joe. ("Crisis at Corinthians" ), Sambafoot 10 August 2006. Retrieved 2010-07-26.〕〔Marcotti, Gabriele. (“More questions than answers about MSI” ), The Times, 2 September 2006. Retrieved 2010-07-27.〕 In December 2007 Corinthians was relegated to the Brazilian Championship's second division.〔Homewood, Brian. ("Soccer-Corinthians relegated in Brazil two years after title" ), Reuters 2 December 2007. Retrieved 2010-07-25.〕 The warrant for Joorabchian's arrest was suspended by the Brazilian authorities in August 2008.〔 In April 2014, The judge totally absolved the whole case saying there was never anything done wrong by anyone in the case at all. "In this case, there is no proof of a single offense, nor is it pointed out that the alleged group ever have had any intention or interest in the committing any crimes," added the judge.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://esportes.br.msn.com/futebol/justi%C3%A7a-absolve-kia-dualib-e-acusados-do-caso-msi-corinthians )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Media Sports Investment」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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