Portuguese footballing legend, Cristiano Ronaldo, faced up to the humiliation of appearing in a Madrid Court this morning to receive a two-year jail sentence for tax fraud.
The 33-year-old Juventus player, who initially had denied all accusations, pleaded guilty to a tax fraud that deprived the Spanish tax department €14.7 million, money due on 2011-2014 image rights income that had been earned but not declared in Spain.
The footballer had been found guilty of using tax havens including the British Virgin Islands and Ireland to avoid tax due in Spain.
Ronaldo had to appear in court today to conclude the case but he already knew the sentence and the agreement that it would be suspended if he paid back taxes and fines.
Luckily, Ronaldo has not been in trouble before in Spain as the deal done today depended on a clean record off the pitch.
Spanish law allows that jail sentences of two years or under can be suspended for first time offenders. Ronaldo will face incarceration if he is found guilty of any other criminal activity during the next two years.
The high-earning footballer now must write a cheque for €18.8 million to settle the tax bill.
It may be of some comfort to Ronaldo that rival footballer, Lionel Messi, received a similar sentence and deal in 2017.
Ronaldo's legal team is still fully engaged with the footballer’s personal life as they deal with the US authorities over accusations of rape in Las Vegas in 2009, lodged by Kathryn Mayorga.
