Soccer Star Will Have to Go to Trial for Alleged Tax Evasion

The ongoing tax saga of soccer star Lionel Messi will continue. That news comes after a judge in Spain ruled that the Barcelona FC star would indeed have to stand trial for tax fraud charges in association with his many endorsement deals with foreign companies. The news comes just days after a report stated that Mr. Messi would not have to go to trial, and that only his father would face the courtroom.

Not So Fast

However, the Spanish judge ruled otherwise and said that Mr. Messi and his father should both have to go to trial. Even though his lawyers argued that Mr. Messi did not have any hands-on dealings with his endorsement contracts, the judge ruled that he “couldn’t have ignored” that a large part of his revenue was coming from foreign companies. If he is convicted, the soccer star could receive a sentence for as long as 22 months.

No Jail Time Likely

However, the good news for Mr. Messi is that even if he is found guilty of the charges he will most likely not spend any time behind bars. That’s because sentences for financial crimes shorter than two years are typically suspended according to Spanish law. In addition, Mr. Messi and his father have reportedly either already paid, or have agreed to pay, the missing tax money, plus interest.

Posted in
Professional Athletes Could Be Getting a Big Tax Victory in Cleveland

Professional Athletes Could Be Getting a Big Tax Victory in Cleveland

Professional Athletes Could Be Getting a Big Tax Victory in Cleveland Millions of sports fans all over the country love their favorite teams and athletes. A large majority of professional athletes from all walks of the sporting world make a lot of money and are some of the highest paid individuals in the country. While…

How to Choose an Investment Advisor

How to Choose an Investment Advisor Finding a reliable source for investment advice has always been a challenge. It’s especially difficult in today’s investment environment. There’s no shortage of places to turn for advice. The shelves at the bookstores are filled with “experts” offering their perspectives on how and where to invest. The financial pages…

Here's a 15-item checklist of low-hanging tax tips for financial advisors; Tax Planning Tips that Can Save You a Bundle

Here’s a 15-item checklist of low-hanging tax tips for financial advisors

Here’s a 15-item checklist of low-hanging tax tips for financial advisors It’s tempting to put April 15th behind you, but here’s how you can plan for next year: With April 15th behind us, many people put tax issues onto the back burner until they’re staring at the next deadline. Alan Olsen, managing partner at Greenstein,…

stay in control

How To Stay In Control Of Your Company

How To Stay In Control Of Your Company Have you ever watched the popular ABC program Shark Tank? This “reality” show allows entrepreneurs and business owners to pitch their business ideas or products to five extremely wealthy investors who are successful entrepreneurs in their own right. The panel of “shark” investors even includes Dallas Mavericks’…