|
|
Post by rugbytoffee on Jul 6, 2016 13:15:55 GMT
 Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi and his father Jorge has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax fraud. According to BBC News, Jorge Messi was given the jail term for defrauding Spain of €4.1m (£3.5m; $4.5m) between 2007 and 2009. The Messis were found to have evaded tax on the player’s image rights and the Court of Catalonia has fined the pair and sentenced them each to just under two years in prison. Under the Spanish system, prison terms of under two years can be served under probation, which means they won’t be required to serve any jail time. Messi and his father were found guilty of three counts of tax fraud in Wednesday’s ruling by the court in Barcelona. Along with the jail terms, the Barcelona superstar was fined about €2m and his father €1.5m. They made a voluntary €5m “corrective payment”, equal to the alleged unpaid tax plus interest, in August 2013. During the trial, Leo Messi had argued that he wasn’t aware of the tax arrangements set in place by his father and other advisors. Meanwhile, Barcelona Football Club have pledged their full support to Messi and his father with relation to the sentence for tax evasion handed out by the Provincial Court. Barcelona have released an official statement today stating the club will “support him [Messi] in whatever action he decides to take in defence of his honesty and his legal interests”. |
|
|
|
Post by Avinalaff on Jul 6, 2016 14:58:00 GMT
I've no sympathy for rich people who don't pay taxes.
I've had to pay them all my life and would go to jail if I refused.
|
|
sheff
Dodgy Goalkeeper
Posts: 891
|
Post by sheff on Jul 6, 2016 17:16:07 GMT
I've no sympathy for rich people who don't pay taxes. I've had to pay them all my life and would go to jail if I refused. The law only applies to those who can't afford to abide by it. |
|
|
|
Post by rugbytoffee on May 24, 2017 13:16:18 GMT
Spain's Supreme Court has ratified a 21-month prison sentence handed down to Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi for tax fraud following the Barcelona player's appeal, Spanish media reported on Wednesday citing unnamed sources.
The Supreme Court could not immediately confirm the reports.
Messi, and his father Jorge Horacio who received the same sentence, were also fined 2 million euros ($2.24 million) in a ruling in July last year.
Neither Messi nor his father are expected to serve time in jail, as under Spanish law sentences under two years can be served under probation.
(Source: Reuters)
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2017 13:10:39 GMT
Lionel Messi has offered to pay an additional fine of 500,000 euros ($A738,334) to ensure he avoids a 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud, a Spanish state prosecutor said on Friday.
State prosecutor Isabel Lopez Riera says the fine-for-time deal was presented by Messi's lawyers to the judge who will rule on whether to suspend Messi's sentence.
Lopez Riera said she has told the judge that her office is not opposed to the deal.
Lopez Riera said Messi's lawyers have made a similar offer for the Barcelona player's father, Jorge Horacio Messi.
He is offering to pay 360,000 euros ($A531,665) to avoid his 15-month sentence for helping his son cheat on his taxes.
In Spain, prison sentences under 24 months for first-time offenders can be suspended by a judge.
Last year, a court in Barcelona found Messi and his father each guilty of three counts of defrauding tax authorities of 4.1 million euros ($A6 million) from 2007-09.
The unpaid taxes were from money made through endorsement deals, not Messi's salary paid by Barcelona.
Messi was fined 2 million euros ($A2.9 million) and his father 1.5 million euros ($A2.2 million).
Both were originally sentenced to 21 months, but his father's sentence was later reduced to 15 months.
In the last two weeks, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo and former Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho have been accused by a Madrid-based state prosecutor of having defrauded Spain's Tax Office of millions of euros in unpaid taxes.
Both have denied wrongdoing.
|
|
