Ex-Manchester United star Anderson accused of laundering £4.7m using Cryptocurrencies

Former Manchester United midfielder Anderson has been accused of laundering £4.7million through cryptocurrencies in Brazil, according to reports.

Anderson spent seven years with United and scored in their shootout victory over Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final.

He was named by Brazilian newspaper Globo as one of eight people under investigation by a state prosecutor into a scheme designed to divert 35 million Brazilian reals (£4.7m) from the state stock exchange and launder money using cryptocurrencies.

The state prosecutor did not name the individuals involved although Globo said it had confirmed Anderson was being investigated for his role in the scheme.

The report said the individuals under investigation had been accused of committing crimes including theft, belonging to a criminal organisation and the laundering of goods, property or valuables.

The investigation, named Crpytoshow, dates back to over a year ago when the state prosecutor issued 13 search and seizure warrants in the region of Porto Alegre. Anderson’s apartment was one of the buildings that were searched.

Anderson told Globo he has been investing in cryptocurrencies since 2019 and confirmed his company had sold bitcoins to one of the companies involved but stressed he did not know the money had come from illegal sources

Anderson’s lawyer, Julio Cezar Coitinho Junior, said Anderson ‘will prove he was a victim, not a participant’.

Anderson, 33, is from the southern Brazil city of Porto Alegre and began his career with local side Gremio in 2006 before moving to Porto two years later and then to United.