Bayern Munich under investigation for money laundering?
Bayern Munich, one of Germany's greatest football clubs has been under heavy fire from the press due to their cluttered season.
Bayern was knocked out of the Champions League and currently struggling to hold on to their lead in the Bundesliga.
Bayern Munich was knocked out 1-4 by Pep's Manchester City back in April. The Bavarian side struggled to find stability both on and off the pitch.
Nagelsman's departure left a deep wound, highlighting the vulnerable situation within the locker room.
Tuchel's arrival had a positive impact on the locker room atmosphere, nevertheless, internal power struggles involving players such as Sané and Mané were costing the team serious points.
To make matters worse, Uli Hoeness, Bayern Munich's former president and current board member, is now under investigation for money laundering.
Uli Hoeness is under investigation for an alleged money laundering link with Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov. Hoeness stands accused of laundering money for Alisher Usmanov through the Bavarian football club.
Alisher Usmanov is an Uzbek-Russian-born oligarch, with an estimated net worth of $19.5 billion, and is among the world's 100 wealthiest people.
Usmanov made his wealth after the collapse of the Soviet Union, through metal and mining operations. He also owns MegaFon, Russia's second-largest mobile telephone operator.
Upon Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the European Union blacklisted Usmanov's, imposing EU travel bans and freezing all his assets.
He was labeled as a pro-Kremlin oligarch with particularly close ties to Vladimir Putin.
The million-dollar question is, what does a Russian oligarch such as Alisher Usmanov have to do with Bayern Munich?
The German sports publication 'Bild', has followed the investigation and believes Uli Hoeness to be an instrumental figure in Alisher Usmanov's laundering operations in Germany.
The Russian oligarch was given multiple VIP tickets and benefits throughout the season at the Allianz Arena, giving reason to believe he is heavily involved with the club.
German prosecutors from Frankfurt explained the ongoing investigation is not directly targeted at Bayern Munich or the team itself. The investigation indirectly targets Hoeness due to his close relationship with Usmanov and his relationship with the Bavarian team.
Bayern Munich has not yet made a comment and is awaiting to see if the German authorities find a link between Hoeness and Usmanov. Bayern Munich's rollercoaster of a season just seems to keep getting worse!