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.
Keys to Empowering Others
A common characteristic of many good leaders is the ability to delegate responsibility. One way that this can be done is by empowering others with the ability to also lead. Empowering someone else can be an excellent tool to achieve even greater success, both for the company and the individual. So how do you…
Top Tax Tips for Business Owners
Chances are if you run your own business then you are always looking for ways to get, and stay ahead, especially when it comes to paying your taxes. They are so many different things to track and organize when it comes to business taxes, but keeping a few simple tips in mind can make…
Wealthy Californians Keep Paying More in Taxes
The tax numbers are in for the state of California and all signs point to the wealthy paying more than their fair share. With tax day now behind us it’s a key time to take a closer look into the real numbers in the Golden state, especially since income taxes account for more than…
Angel Investing: As Easy as 1-2-3
In my profession I meet with a lot of investors, mainly venture capitalists and angel investors. When meeting with many of these investors I like to learn their thought process of determining whether or not a company is worth their time and resources. Monty Kersten, Independent Board Member and Angel Investor told me the…