Lionel Messi and his father, Jorge Horacio Messi, were both handed prison sentences for defrauding the Spanish government of millions of euros by using tax havens in Belize and Uruguay to conceal earnings from image rights. Messi was given a sentence of 21 months in jail, but due to a quirk in Spanish tax law, you don't actually have to go to jail if you are sentenced to less than two years. Instead, you can serve probation. So 21 months was pretty lucky!Officially, a Barcelona court found Messi and his father guilty of three counts of tax fraud and levied fines of €2m and €1.5m, respectively.Messi's club released a statement today acknowledging the decision and pledging their full support of Messi and his father:FC Barcelona gives all its support to Leo Messi and his father with relation to the sentence for tax evasion handed out by the Provincial Court in Barcelona today.The Club, in agreement with the Government prosecution service, considers that the player, who has corrected his position with the Spanish Tax Office, is in no way criminally responsible with regards to the facts underlined in this case.FC Barcelona continues to be at the disposal of Leo Messi and his family to support him in whatever action he decides to take in defence of his honesty and his legal interests.Messi, who also made a €5m "corrective payment" in August of 2013, can appeal the decision to the Spanish supreme court.
Advertisement