Ronaldo
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has reached a deal with
Spanish tax authorities to serve two years in prison and pay an 18.8
million euro ($21.8 million) fine in a tax evasion case, newspaper El
Mundo reported on Friday.
Ronaldo is unlikely to serve any time in jail under the deal
because Spanish law states that a sentence of under two years for a
first offence can be served on probation.
The 33-year-old Portuguese footballer is accused of evading 14.7
million euros in taxes and, through his agents, has denied the
allegations. Ronaldo is due to play for Portugal on Friday in a World
Cup match against Spain.
Gestifute, the agency representing the player, was not immediately
available to comment on the report on Friday. The Spanish tax agency
also declined to comment.
Spanish courts have recently cracked down on tax evasion among leading footballers.
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi was handed a 21-month prison sentence in
2017 on similar charges but under Spanish law was able to exchange the
penalty for a fine.
Between 2005 and 2010, foreign players in Spain were protected under the so-called “Beckham law”
allowing them to curb their taxes. But as the financial crisis bit
deeper, that exemption was lifted, paving the way for the cases.
-Reuters
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