This is definitely not the best summer that Lionel Messi is having. The soccer superstar lost in the Copa America finals and now, he was sentenced to 21-months in jail because of tax fraud in Spain.
If you’re going to do anything right in life, make sure that is your taxes because in any country, their version of Uncle Sam will find you and make you pay. Lionel Messi is fresh off his loss in the Copa America finals but now, he is facing bigger issues than losing the finals. Messi claims that he had no idea about these taxes that regard his image rights. Here’s the scoop:
Lionel Messi and his father Jorge have been sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax fraud, but the Barcelona forward is not expected to spend any time behind bars.The Court of Catalonia on Wednesday found that the Messis hadevaded tax on Lionel’s image rights, with more than €4m owed in back payments. But because the court’s sentence was less than two years and neither Messi has a criminal record, neither will be sent to prison.
The dates in question are tax payments between 2007-2009. This is a clear indication that time doesn’t matter when it comes to taxes. If there is no jail time, then what is the sentence?
Both have been fined €1.7m for three counts of tax fraud while his father has been given a €1.3m fine, although both men can appeal against these sentences at the supreme court.
In US dollars, Messi’s fine is $1,882,920 and his dad, $1,439,490. Realistically speaking, imagine if Messi were to serve his sentence? The soccer world would be in an uproar.