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.
Are You Ready for the 2018 Tax Filing Season?
Are You Ready for the 2018 Tax Filing Season? The tax season is just about here and that means it’s already past time to start getting ready to file your return. With that in mind, here are some tried and true tips that you can use to help you get prepared. First off, start gathering…
What Does the New Tax Law Mean for Your Housing?
What Does the New Tax Law Mean for Your Housing? With the new tax reform bill finally in the books, the time for fighting over the bill is over. Now it’s time to let the fight over how it’s going to affect taxpayers, begin. There’s no question the new law is going to affect nearly…
The Senate Passed the Tax Bill and This is What We Know
The Senate Passed the Tax Bill and This is What We Know As of the wee hours of the morning last Saturday, the Senate just passed tax reform. While we are all still anxiously waiting to see what will end up on President Trumps desk, let’s review some of the information that we have up…
Trump Calls for Complete Overhaul of Tax System
Trump Calls for Complete Overhaul of Tax System Calling it the “biggest tax cut in history,” President Donald Trump last week laid out his administration’s plan to completely overhaul the nation’s tax system. Tax reform was one of the biggest calling cards of the new president during his campaign, which ended in victory last November.…