The public prosecutor in Spain has agreed to substitute the 21-month prison sentence imposed on Barcelona star Lionel Messi for a fine. This comes after both the player and his father were found guilty of 4.1 million euro tax fraud against the tax authorities in Spain.
Barcelona's football star Lionel Messi and his father Jorge Horacio Messi will be hoping to see the back of this tax fraud case. ALBERTO ESTEVEZ (AFP)
Prison never likely for Messi
Due to the laws in Spain, a prison sentence was never likely to have been served by the Argentine player. According to reports from legal sources at news organisation EFE, the prosecutor took into consideration no previous offences and the fact that Messi had agreed to pay an debts. This will remove the original punishment.
Reports suggest that Messi will pay 252,000 euros and his father 180,000 euros.
