Cristiano Ronaldo 'to accept jail term and £16.4 fine' in tax case [Update Post #39]

[Abdullah719]

Spanish prosecutors have accused the Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo of defrauding the authorities of millions of euros in tax.

The prosecutor's office in Madrid says it has filed a lawsuit against the Portuguese player.

He is accused of evading tax of 14.7m euros (£13m; $16m) from 2011 to 2014.

The world's highest-paid sports star had previously said he was not worried about tax investigations as he had nothing to hide.

On this occasion he is accused of knowingly using a "business structure" to hide income made from his image rights.

In December, leaked documents suggested that Ronaldo had avoided tax on income allegedly held in offshore accounts.

He denied the allegations.

When asked about that investigation, he told a journalist from Radio Television Portuguesa (RTP) "Quien no debe no teme", which roughly translates as "He who has nothing to hide has no fear."

Ronaldo is the world's highest-paid sportsperson for the second successive year, according to Forbes' annual list of the world's wealthiest people.

He earned $93m (£72m) from salary, bonuses and endorsements last year.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40260517

 

[Mamoon]

[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION]

 

[KingKhanWC]

If found guilty he will probably face a suspended sentence just like Messi.

 

[Abdullah719]

Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Real Madrid because he does not want to play in Spain any more, Sky sources understand.

The former Manchester United winger is angry about the way he has been treated by Spanish tax authorities and has told Real he wants a move away from the club.

Spanish prosecutors have accused Ronaldo of avoiding £14.7m in tax - a charge he completely denies.

The Portugal captain is facing allegations from Madrid's regional state prosecutor of four counts of tax fraud relating to image rights payments.

Madrid's state prosecutor alleged he used an off-shore company to hide a portion of his income from the tax office.

Ronaldo's management company Gestifute insisted on Thursday the company, Tollin, established during his time with Manchester United - from whom he moved to Real Madrid in 2009 - has acted in accordance with British and Spanish tax laws.

The four-time Ballon d'Or winner spoke briefly when quizzed on the subject by reporters following a training session with Portugal on Wednesday, saying he had a "clear conscience".

Ronaldo, 32, signed a new five-year contract last November which means he is contracted to Real until 2021, and has previously been linked with a return to United.

There is interest from China with the mid-season window there opening on Monday.

Ronaldo has also expressed his frustration at being whistled by his own fans at Real. Speaking ahead of their Champions League win over Juventus, he said: "I spent a lot of years at Manchester United and [home fans booing] never happened to me.

"Maybe England is a case apart, the mentality is different. I'm very happy being in Spain but obviously I also miss England because you can't just turn off the memories."

Ronaldo has scored 285 goals in 241 league appearances since leaving Manchester for the Spanish capital in 2009.

He secured a new five-year contract with the La Liga title holders in November 2016 and said on June 1: "I said when I signed my latest contract that it would be my penultimate and that I would play on until I was 41."

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11835/10917545/cristiano-ronaldo-wants-to-leave-real-madrid

 

[UN talkz]

Ohhhh no....
Ronaldo is Madrid.....
Madrid is Ronaldo...

 

[Badsha]

You should put sky sources in the thread title. This news (so far) is nothing much. Sky sports have been very unreliable as of late.

 

[s28]

Wonder if Ronaldo will come to Wolves now ? Wolves owned by multi-billion dollar Chinese company and effectively run by his friend 'super-agent' Jorge Mendes

 

[TahirFan]

If Ronaldo does not like paying income tax then he should play his football in a country like Monaco where there is no income tax

Tax evasion is considered as fraud in some countries.

 

[PakLFC]

Lets hear it now. Chelsea and Man City will soon be making £200 million bids each.

 

[shaz619]

Manchester United or Arsenal should sign him

 

[TahirFan]

If he does move than I will think that it will be Man United

 

[big_gamer007]

Should come back home

 

[KingKhanWC]

Should come back home

He's hardly going to the Portuguese league

 

[big_gamer007]

He's hardly going to the Portuguese league

Pfft we both know where his real home is.. Would get a hero's welcome if he decides to come back

 

[SandyB]

Would love to see CR7 back in EPL .

 

[big_gamer007]

Would love to see CR7 back in EPL .

Only in United my friend he shouldn't come to any other club in EPL it would be an act of a traitor..

 

[JaDed]

Difference between Messi and Ronaldo whiner,instead of fighting the case legally,threatening to leave the club.

 

[Mamoon]

Manchester United or Arsenal should sign him

Ronaldo pays his taxes unlike Messi. Oh wait...

 

[KingKhanWC]

Pfft we both know where his real home is.. Would get a hero's welcome if he decides to come back

You can't be a Utd fan living in India

He wont leave Madrid, this is just frustration.

 

[shaz619]

Difference between Messi and Ronaldo whiner,instead of fighting the case legally,threatening to leave the club.

True, Messi just cries on the pitch and chokes; so that makes him the better man and we can now brush his tax evasion under the carpet

 

[big_gamer007]

You can't be a Utd fan living in India

He wont leave Madrid, this is just frustration.

lol that's silly why can't someone be a fan living in India? EPL is more global than any other sports league in the world and you would be surprised how many fans are in India..

TBH I don't get time to watch EPL now because of work but I have been a fan since 1998.. Next year would be 20 years being a United fan damn I feel old now..

I know he won't leave Madrid but I hope he has one final 3 year stint in united and wins titles and retires as a legend..

 

[shaz619]

Ronaldo pays his taxes unlike Messi. Oh wait...

INNOCENT until proven guilty anyhow you write poetry about Nawaz Sharif, don't judge me

 

[Sidilicious]

he is not leaving Madrid. But if he does, I hope its only for Utd.

 

[big_gamer007]

You can't be a Utd fan living in India

He wont leave Madrid, this is just frustration.

Oh and just to add Manchester United Delhi supporters club is officially accepted by Manchester United as an official supporters group of the club.. I was one of the first members of that group on Facebook though I never attended any of their screenings too many kids annoy me..

 

[WC-Passion]

You have to be naive to believe this BS. Ronaldo has started whining like a baby and Real Madrid will back him up and eventually he'll be given a slap on the wrist with a "massive" fine. Then he'll go back to scoring for fun. It's happened to Messi and now it will happen to him.

 

[Badsha]

You have to be naive to believe this BS. Ronaldo has started whining like a baby and Real Madrid will back him up and eventually he'll be given a slap on the wrist with a "massive" fine. Then he'll go back to scoring for fun. It's happened to Messi and now it will happen to him.

You're naive here because it's a different situation. This hasn't happened before.

 

[Badsha]

You can't be a Utd fan living in India

He wont leave Madrid, this is just frustration.

What sort of logic is that? United (and any of the EPL clubs) wouldn't be what they are without global fans.

 

[WC-Passion]

You're naive here because it's a different situation. This hasn't happened before.

You're making it sound like he's in some actual trouble. Nothing will happen lets be honest here, he'll be playing for Madrid still when the season starts.

 

[161]

Where else can he score so man tap ins and penalties ?

 

[Badsha]

You're making it sound like he's in some actual trouble. Nothing will happen lets be honest here, he'll be playing for Madrid still when the season starts.

I'm not sure you've read the news. The issue is not that he's in trouble. He's ****** off at Madrid because he believes they're the reason he'll be paying a fine and wants out. He either leaves or he's trying to get Madrid to pay his fine.

 

[KingKhanWC]

I'm not sure you've read the news. The issue is not that he's in trouble. He's ****** off at Madrid because he believes they're the reason he'll be paying a fine and wants out. He either leaves or he's trying to get Madrid to pay his fine.

Madrid have stated his innocence will be proved and they are not just any club but a highly politicised club. He wont go as only at Madrid he can win trophy after trophy and be called the best player in the world. He's just a little upset that's all.

 

[Asif khan]

Any takers for a goal hanger?

 

[MenInG]

http://www.firstpost.com/sports/la-...day-to-testify-in-tax-fraud-case-3869477.html


Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo faces a brutal return to Madrid before starting pre-season training with Real Madrid as he is expected in court on Monday, accused of evading millions in taxes.

The 32-year-old — the world's highest paid athlete according to Forbes magazine — will be questioned by a court in Pozuelo de Alarcon, a wealthy suburb of Madrid where he lives, over allegations he evaded €14.7 million ($17.2 million) in tax.

The Portuguese star follows in the steps of his arch-rival, Barcelona forward and Argentina star Lionel Messi, who was found guilty of the same offence last year, although the sums involved were smaller.

Madrid's public prosecutors accuse Ronaldo of having taken "advantage of a company structure created in 2010 to hide income generated in Spain from his image rights from tax authorities".

They say this was a "voluntary and conscious breach of his fiscal obligations in Spain".

Prosecutors accuse the four-time world player of the year of evading tax via a shell company based in the British Virgin Islands and another in Ireland, known for low corporate tax rates.

In addition, they say the Real Madrid striker only declared €11.5 million of Spanish-related income from 2011 to 2014, while what he really earned during that time was close to €43 million.

And finally, they accuse him of "voluntarily" refusing to include €28.4 million in income linked to the sale of his image rights for the 2015 to 2020 period to a Spanish company.

'Conscience is clear'

Ronaldo has defended himself, saying his "conscience is clear".

But the allegations still took their toll, and the man with the "CR7" brand, Real's all-time top goalscorer, threatened to leave Spain over the affair, giving supporters a fright.

He has since hinted he will stay on, telling Spanish sports daily Marca that he would like to continue to win trophies for Real.

Ronaldo is not the only footballer to fall foul of authorities in Spain, which is only just recovering from a damaging economic crisis that saw countless people lose their jobs and inequalities rise.

Messi was sentenced to a 21-month jail sentence and €2.09 million fine last year for tax fraud.

His prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000, which corresponds to €400 for each day of jail.

Barcelona's Argentine defender Javier Mascherano, meanwhile, agreed a one-year suspended sentence with authorities for tax fraud last year.

Brazil star Neymar, another Barcelona forward, and his parents are also due to stand trial for alleged corruption over his transfer from Santos in 2013.

Super-agent Mendes

Real have not been spared either.

Apart from Ronaldo, former player Angel di Maria, Portuguese defender Fabio Coentrao and Jose Mourinho, who coached the club from 2009 to 2013, have all been accused of tax fraud.

All are clients of super-agent Jorge Mendes, who was also questioned and put under official investigation last month by a Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Monaco striker Radamel Falcao, another footballer in his stable.

Mendes defended himself, telling the closed door hearing that he "never" advised players in tax matters.

Where Ronaldo is concerned, Mendes's company Gestifute has denied any "fiscal set-up" and said "the player didn't hide anything".

But if he were put on trial and found guilty, Ronaldo risks "a fine of at least €28 million" and could potentially be jailed for three-and-a-half years, the Gestha union of experts at Spain's Inland Revenue has said.

Since extending his contract last November until 2021, Ronaldo is the highest paid sports star in the world with $93 million (€80 million) earned in 2016-2017, according to Forbes.

 

[hadi123]

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly agreed to accept a £16.4m (18.8m euro) fine and suspended jail term to settle tax evasion charges.

The Real Madrid and Portugal footballer, 33, was accused last year of defrauding tax authorities of €14.8m, charges he denies.

Ronaldo offered to pay £12.9m in June 2017 but the government rejected the offer, the El Mundo newspaper reported.

The news came before he scored a hat-trick against Spain in the World Cup.

Spanish courts have recently cracked down on tax evasion among footballers.

Ronaldo is unlikely to serve any jail time under the deal - reportedly a verbal one at this stage. Under Spanish law, a two-year sentence for a first offence can be served on probation, with no requirement for custody

Any deal would have to be signed off by Spain's tax agency. It has accused the footballer of trying to hide money linked to image rights made between 2011 and 2014.

He denied the claims and his agency has yet to comment on the latest reports.

The timing of the news has raised questions, however. It came just hours before Ronaldo was due to play for Portugal in the match against Spain at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia.

But it did not appear to affect his performance as he scored all three goals including a late equaliser that meant the game ended 3-3.

Back in 2010, as the financial crisis deepened, Spain lifted a tax exemption that had become known as the "Beckham law", which had allowed footballers to curb their taxes.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi was given a 21-month prison sentence in 2017 on similar charges to Ronaldo but under Spanish law was able to pay a fine instead.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44499138

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Good that he’s accepted a settlement.

I don’t think he’ll leave Madrid this time either.

 

[gazza619]

Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso set for Madrid court

Ronaldo is expected to plead guilty after he reportedly agreed to a £16.4m fine and a suspended jail term to settle the charges.

Alonso is set to appear before the court for the first time charged with defrauding tax authorities of 2m euros.

He denies any wrongdoing.

Ronaldo and Alonso are among several footballers in Spain - including Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Real Madrid defender Marcelo. - to have been accused of tax evasion relating to non-declaration of earnings from image rights.

Portugal international Ronaldo, who is expected to play for Juventus against Chievo on Monday, was accused of trying to hide money linked to image rights made between 2011 and 2014 totalling £13m

He offered to pay £12m in June 2017 but the government rejected the offer, El Mundo newspaper reported.

In the case of Alonso, who retired in 2017 after a career including spells at Liverpool and Bayern Munich as well as a World Cup win with Spain in 2010, prosecutors are seeking a five-year jail term.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46925509