Argentina and Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax fraud, Spanish media say.
Shock claims from Spain say the Argentina and Barcelona star has been handed the sentence alongside his father Jorge for tax fraud.
Under Spanish law any sentence under two years can be suspended meaning the Barcelona and former Argentina footballer is expected to avoid serving time in prison.
The 29-year-old, among the world’s highest-earning athletes, was accused of creating a string of fake companies in Belize and Uruguay to avoid taxation on €4.16m (£3.2m) of image rights earnings between 2007 and 2009.
During the trial, Messi said he never suspected any wrongdoing when his father would ask him to sign contracts or documents relating to his image rights.
Shock claims from Spain say the Argentina and Barcelona star has been handed the sentence alongside his father Jorge for tax fraud.
Under Spanish law any sentence under two years can be suspended meaning the Barcelona and former Argentina footballer is expected to avoid serving time in prison.
The 29-year-old, among the world’s highest-earning athletes, was accused of creating a string of fake companies in Belize and Uruguay to avoid taxation on €4.16m (£3.2m) of image rights earnings between 2007 and 2009.
During the trial, Messi said he never suspected any wrongdoing when his father would ask him to sign contracts or documents relating to his image rights.
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