Scandal deepens at Inter Milan over fake sponsors

Inter Milan is facing its biggest crisis since Calciopoli, with explosive allegations of fake sponsorships, mafia connections, and help from football authorities to avoid collapse.

Fresh off a painful Champions League loss to PSG and with coach Simone Inzaghi preparing to leave, Inter Milan’s troubles have gone far beyond the field.

A confidential financial report commissioned by a London-based advisor working with a potential buyer has revealed disturbing details that could shake Italian football to its core.

According to the Foot Mercato, Inter should have been liquidated or relegated due to severe financial mismanagement.

Instead, the club allegedly stayed afloat thanks to fake sponsorships, financial loopholes, and suspected support from Italy’s football authorities.

When Chinese conglomerate Suning took control of Inter in 2016, they flooded the club with “regional sponsorships” to boost revenue.

Between 2016 and 2019, Inter generated nearly €300 million through these deals 27% of its total revenue during that time.

Of that, €131.4 million came from Suning’s own companies, while €165.6 million came from third-party entities described in the report as “dubious.”

These deals appear to have been structured solely to help Inter meet UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) requirements. Ironically, Inter had already been sanctioned by UEFA in 2015 for violating those same rules.

Meanwhile, expenses skyrocketed:

Player and staff wages grew from €124 million to €192 million.

Operating costs rose from €211 million to over €310 million in just three years.

As matchday and TV revenue plateaued, the club increasingly relied on obscure sponsorships, mostly from unknown Chinese companies.

Among the sponsors flagged in the report:

FullShare Holding (tourism)

King Down Investment (online travel agency)

iMedia (sports marketing firm)

An unnamed company that paid a €10 million entry fee and €25 million annually to promote Inter in Southeast Asia

Most had no clear links to football and lacked publicly available financial records.

Before the Suning era, Inter’s core revenue (excluding transfers) ranged between €176 million and €186 million per year. Within three years, this had jumped by 46%.

The report casts serious doubt on the legitimacy and independence of the sponsors responsible for this surge.

The scandal doesn’t stop at the club’s front door. The report accuses the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) of shielding Inter from the consequences of its actions.

Despite severe financial red flags that should have led to liquidation or exclusion from Serie A, Inter continued to operate without major penalties.

The report says the FIGC may have pressured COVISOC the independent financial watchdog for Italian football to relax oversight. A former COVISOC member even claimed that external influence affected internal investigations.

Meanwhile, other clubs received heavy penalties for far lesser infractions, suggesting Inter may have received preferential treatment.

The report also raises concerns about Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta, especially his alleged connections with ultra supporter groups some of which have links to organized crime.

It states that Marotta “gave in to pressure” and was personally involved in “resolving conflicts” with these groups.

It even draws connections to his time at Juventus, where he reportedly held private meetings with individuals later investigated for mafia involvement. Though Marotta has never been officially charged, the recurring patterns are troubling.

Despite these issues, Inter has continued to receive awards and political support. In 2023, they received the Ambrogino d’Oro, Milan’s top civic honor.

Meanwhile, some political figures like journalist Fabrizio Biasin and politician Ignazio La Russa appeared in public events with Inter officials right after fan violence controversies, raising eyebrows.

President Steven Zhang, who remains the face of Inter’s ownership, has been absent from key meetings. The report says Zhang cannot leave China due to passport issues, leaving a leadership vacuum at the top of the club.

This isn’t just about fake sponsors or financial tricks. If these claims are proven true, this could become Italian football’s biggest scandal since Calciopoli in 2006 or the Parmalat financial collapse in 2003. At stake is not just the reputation of Inter Milan but the very credibility of Italy’s football system.