Real Madrid’s star football player Cristiano Ronaldo faces tax fraud charges in Spain
Written by News on 18/06/2017
Spanish prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo for alleged tax fraud amounting to nearly £13m.
It is claimed the player knowingly used his "business structure" created in 2010 to hide his income in Spain from his image rights.
Madrid’s regional state prosecutor has accused Ronaldo of four counts of tax fraud from 2011 to 2014.
The lawsuit is based on a report sent to the prosecutor’s office from Spain’s tax agency AEAT, it said.
The 32-year-old Portugal forward, who is the world’s highest paid athlete according to Forbes magazine, is accused of evading tax via two companies based in the British Virgin Islands and Ireland.
Ronaldo is the latest football star to be targeted by Spanish tax authorities.
Argentina international and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi was sentenced to a 21-month jail sentence and €2.09m fine last year for tax fraud.
It is likely the prison term will be suspended as is common in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes that carry a sentence of less than two years.
Barca’s Argentine defender Javier Mascherano also agreed a one-year suspended sentence with authorities for tax fraud.
Ronaldo’s representatives have not yet been available for comment.
(c) Sky News 2017: Real Madrid’s star football player Cristiano Ronaldo faces tax fraud charges in Spain
