Former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy is seeking millions of pounds from his former club and is selling his house to avoid bankruptcy, the High Court has heard.
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is seeking a bankruptcy order for a French multinational company due to tax debt of nearly £800,000, the specialist judge was told.
A hearing in London on Wednesday comes less than a month after a 29-year-old man was acquitted in a Chester court of rape and attempted rape.
Jacquel Jarrett, representing HMRC, said the proceedings in the Bankruptcy and Companies Court had previously been adjourned pending the completion of criminal proceedings and the settlement of Mendy’s backdated salary debt or the sale of his estate.
“There has been no contact from the debtor,” Jarrett said, adding: “The agreement states that the updated information will be shared with HMRC, but no contact has been made.
“We expect to receive a bankruptcy order today.”
Accountant Mendy, who declined to give his full name to reporters, told the hearing that Lorient’s defense counsel “had now been found not guilty of those very serious criminal charges against him.”
He said that Manchester City had not paid Mendy, who was not present at Wednesday’s hearing, since September 2021.
The accountant said Mendy’s agent was “negotiating with Manchester City to collect back wages on the grounds that he was found not guilty”.
The amount is “in the order of nine to £10 million gross,” the accountant told the court.
He also said Mandy’s home in Cheshire was being sold by real estate agent Savills for £5 million.
“He himself returned to France, where he comes from,” the accountant said.
“I would like to ask for a short extension because his agent told me very firmly that the salary issue would be handled by Manchester City.
“He really had very little money, the cost of the court case was over one million pounds.”
Mendy left City in June at the end of his contract, having not played for the European champions since August 2021.
He has since signed a two-year contract with French club Lorient.
Judge Clive Jones said at Wednesday’s hearing that Mandy owed HMRC £788,409.
Criticizing Mendy, the judge said: “I am very unimpressed by the lack of information that was provided to both HMRC and the court prior to this hearing.
“I really think this is a wrong move on his part,” he said, adding that Mendy must attend any further hearings or be legally represented.
The judge delayed the bankruptcy case until 11:00 a.m. Oct. 4 to allow Mendy to sell his house.
L’arrivée de Benjamin Mendy, nouveau numéro 5⃣ des Merlus