Prosecutors confirm Beckenbauer not target of tax probe

Published Nov. 4, 2015 9:02 a.m. ET

foxsports

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) The Frankfurt prosecutors' office says Franz Beckenbauer is not a target of a tax evasion probe in connection with the 2006 World Cup.

Beckenbauer was the president of the organizing committee but the prosecutors say he had nothing to do with the tax declaration and was therefore not under investigation. Beckenbauer lives in neighboring Austria, but prosecutors say that was not a factor.

The former Germany great has said a payment of 6.7 million euros (about $6 million) made to FIFA that is at the root of the investigation had been his ''mistake.''

Authorities on Tuesday searched the headquarters of the German soccer federation and the homes of its president, Wolfgang Niersbach, predecessor Theo Zwanziger and former treasurer Horst R. Schmidt, who are under investigation.