Messi and his father sentenced to 21 months in jail for tax fraud
The Barcelona High Court has today sentenced the player and his father for defrauding the Spanish tax authorites out of 4.1 million eurosEcuador-Argentina
The Barcelona player, Leo Messi, and his father, Jorge Horacio Messi, have been sentenced to 21 months in jail by the High Court in Barcelona for defrauding the Spanish tax authorities out of 4.1 million euros.
Read: Messi faces tax charges
The two were charged with using a chain of fake companies in Belize and Uruguay to avoid paying taxes of 4.16 million euros on Messi's income earned through the sale of his image rights from 2007-09.
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Read: Messi testifies in court
Although sentenced to time in jail, it is likely that it will be suspended as is common in Spain for first offences carrying a sentence of less than two years.