Could the complex ownership structures behind your favourite football club be hiding more than just business strategy? In this bonus episode of Registries Revealed, we dive into the murky world of Premier League football ownership with the University of Manchester criminologists Nicholas Lord and Peter Duncan who reveal how opaque corporate structures and secretive jurisdictions in club ownership present significant money laundering and financial crime risks.
Discover how multiple layers of limited companies, partnerships, and trusts in high-risk jurisdictions create the perfect environment for potential illicit financial flows. The researchers highlight real examples, such as Aston Villa's complex ownership chain, which spans Luxembourg, the US, Portugal, and ultimately the Cayman Islands. These chains display classic red flags that financial crime specialists are trained to identify.
"We see features or warning signs that are common elsewhere with money laundering cases where these same mechanisms can be used for illicit purposes to obscure the individuals involved and the source of finance," explains Nicholas Lord.
Listen in to understand the regulatory gaps in football governance, the limitations of beneficial ownership registries, and what the proposed independent football regulator could mean for transparency in the game.
Read the full report on Premier League Football Regulations from Nicholas Lord and Peter Duncan here: