Javier Mascherano cops a one year suspended prison sentence for tax evasion: Messi, Neymar next?

[go you pups]

Interesting, with Messi's and Neymar's futures in doubt over tax/transfer issues also and the transfer bans already handed to Spain's big 3 teams, could Mascherano's penalty be the first major domino of many to fall?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-responsible-person-despite-tax-sentence.html

Javier Mascherano insists he is 'an honest and responsible person' despite tax sentence


Barcelona and Argentina midfielder handed a suspended sentence of a year in prison and a £623,000 fine for tax evasion

Javier Mascherano insisted he was “an honest and responsible person” after a Spanish court handed him a suspended sentence of a year in prison and fined him 815,00 euros (£623,000) for tax evasion.

The Barcelona and Argentina midfielder had pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding the Spanish tax authority of 1.5 million euros (£1.14m) in 2011 and 2012 last October, and was handed the fine and suspended prison sentence in December, which was ratified in court in Barcelona on Thursday.

In September Mascherano agreed to pay the Spanish tax authority the full 1.5 million euros in evaded tax, plus 200,000 euros in interest. Prison sentences for under two years in Spain can be suspended in exchange for a fine, so long as the crime is non-violent and the perpetrator has no previous convictions, and the Argentine is not expected to serve any time in jail. His defence team asked for a suspended sentence in return for a fine of 21,600 euros, which was agreed by the prosecutor, but not the state attorney, and a new verdict is set to be announced in the coming days.

In a statement released through his social media accounts and reproduced on Barcelona’s official website, Mascherano declared his relief at the matter effectively being brought to an end. The Argentine explained that when he signed for Barcelona from Liverpool in 2010 he contracted the services of the firm Estudio Fiscal Español, which “recommended certain structures, all within a legal framework, always informing me that these proceeds were normal, transparent and accepted by the law”. He also stated he could take legal action against the firm.

“I’m a professional sportsman, I don’t have a great knowledge of tax and legal affairs,” he added.

“Therefore, I ask for support from people that understand things that are too technical and complex for me. I have always been an honest and responsible person throughout my career and have always respected my team-mates, the clubs I’ve represented and the countries I’ve lived in.”

Mascherano is far from the only Barcelona player in trouble with the law at present. His international and club team-mate Lionel Messi is set to face trial along with his father Jorge on 31 May for defrauding the Spanish tax office of 4.1 million euros (£3.1m), while Brazil captain Neymar is set to testify in the Spanish National Court next month in an investigation into irregularities in his 2013 transfer from Santos to Barcelona.

La Liga may have the worlds best players, but if they can't organise themselves properly off field then who knows what it could be in the near future.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

'More than just a club' people used to say about Barca.

Nek Minnit, bye bye Unicef, hello slave money sponsorship, child trafficking, tax evasion and fraud.

Spain's version of the family club

 

[SM]

Really don't understand how someone making that much money can see the point of tax evasion. There are legal ways to minimise your tax, and with the amount you're earning, you can afford some of the top tax specialists to do it.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Really don't understand how someone making that much money can see the point of tax evasion. There are legal ways to minimise your tax, and with the amount you're earning, you can afford some of the top tax specialists to do it.

Greed

 

[elhadjihenry]

Did find this amusing...

 

[Jatz]

That goals column can't be right. Surely he's scored more than 2 goals his whole career?

 

[Magma]

wont spend a day in jail, like casillas, nadal and xabi alonso before him

 

[Matt Stevic]

Can we start calling him Jailvier?

 

[Benno_900]

That goals column can't be right. Surely he's scored more than 2 goals his whole career?

Wiki sidebar stats are league only

 

[Jatz]

Wiki sidebar stats are league only

But even still, only 2 league goals over the years...