Benjamin Mendy was acquitted of all charges at Chester Crown Court – PA/David Rawcliffe
Benjamin Mendy is suing Manchester City for up to £10million in unpaid wages after they stopped paying him after he was accused of multiple counts of rape.
The former France full-back, who was acquitted of all charges at Chester Crown Court this summer, has filed a claim at an employment tribunal after it emerged he was selling his home to avoid bankruptcy .
A representative for the 31-year-old, who joined Lorient days after being found not guilty in July, told the High Court in August that his client was pursuing millions of pounds in wages from September 2021 until his release in the summer. Mendy has appointed top sports lawyer Nick Di Marco Casey to represent him.
A statement released to Telegraph Sport said: “Nick De Marco Casey [instructed by Laffer Abogados, Madrid] Acting for Benjamin Mendy in a multi-million pound claim for unauthorized deductions from wages. “Manchester City FC failed to pay Mr Mendy any wages from September 2021, after Mr Mendy was charged with various offences, all of which he was later acquitted of, until the end of his contract in June 2023. The claim will first come to an employment tribunal.
In August, an expert judge was told that HM Revenue and Customs was seeking a bankruptcy order against France International over a tax debt of approximately £800,000.
Jacquill Jarrett, representing HMRC, said proceedings in the Insolvency and Companies Court had already been adjourned pending the outcome of the criminal trial and settlement of Mendy’s debt from backdated wages or the sale of his assets.
“There has been no communication from the debtor,” Jarrett said. The settlement advised that an update would be given to HMRC but no contact was made. “We want to secure a bankruptcy order today.”
Mendy’s accountant, David Lumley, said that his client’s agent was “negotiating with Manchester City to receive the wages owed on the basis that he has been found not guilty”. The accountant told the court the sum totaled “in the order of £9-£10 million”.
He also said that Mendy’s home in Cheshire was being marketed by estate agents Savills for £5 million. The accountant said: “I would like to ask for a small extension because his agent has told me very firmly that the salary issue will be resolved by Manchester City. In fact he is very short of money, with the legal case costing over £1 million. Was more.
Judge Clive Jones told an August hearing that Mendy’s HMRC debt was £788,409. Criticizing Mendy, the judge said: “I am very unhappy with the lack of information provided to both HMRC and the court ahead of this hearing.”
Benjamin Mendy made 50 Premier League appearances for Man City – Getty Images/AT McNulty
He said Mendy must attend any further hearings or be legally represented. The judge postponed the bankruptcy proceedings until last month to allow Mendy to sell his home. He said he was told there was “more than enough equity in a house”, adding that “time should be given to be able to make payments”.
“I am also mindful that there are talks going on regarding retrospective salaries as well,” the judge said. He said Mendy could be paid “a huge sum in wages” in France.
At an October hearing, the High Court was told that Mendy was “embarrassed” about a tax debt which he wanted to pay off “as soon as possible”. However, Louis Doyle Casey, representing Mendy, successfully sought an adjournment in order to settle the amount to the player. Doyle said discussions were ongoing with the club and “it looks like there will be a positive end to the dispute”.
The barrister added: “This is probably, if not the last chance salon, it is close to the last order in the last chance salon.”
The court was told that £277,000 had been paid to HMRC, although department lawyer Megan Vanderhook said it had not yet been received. Doyle later told the court that Mendy was prepared to pay HMRC £20,000 a month from his new employer’s salary.
Judge Mark Mullen adjourned the hearing for four months, describing the delay as “final”. He said, “It is clear that the debtor is a person of sufficient means and the question is really about realizing his assets and in particular resolving the dispute with his former employer.”
City declined to comment, but are understood to have reacted with some surprise to Mendy’s claim and rejected his approach of reaching an out-of-court settlement.
Source: uk.sports.yahoo.com
