Ex-Footballer Samuel Eto’o pleads guilty to tax fraud to avoid prison time

Former Cameroon footballer, Samuel Eto’o has struck a take care of Spanish prosecutors to keep away from going to jail for tax fraud he dedicated whereas enjoying for Barcelona, a court docket within the metropolis introduced Monday, June 20.

Eto’o, who performed for Barcelona from 2004 to 2009, obtained a fantastic and a 22-month suspended sentence however is not going to serve any time, as is customary in Spain for jail phrases of underneath two years for non-violent crimes.

Following the settlement with the federal government, Eto’o, 41, pays a fantastic of 1.8 million euros ($1.9 million).

The report four-time African footballer of the yr and Jose Maria Mesalles — his former consultant, who for his half was sentenced to 12 months and a fantastic — should reimburse Spanish tax authorities for the quantity defrauded, round 3.9 million euros.

Prosecutors accused Eto’o of failing to declare revenue from the switch of picture rights between 2006 and 2009.

In keeping with them, Eto’o transferred his picture rights to an organization primarily based in Hungary which declared his earnings in that nation, the place the tax fee is without doubt one of the “lowest in Europe”.

A second Spanish firm declared them in Spain on the company tax fee, lower than the revenue tax that ought to have been paid.

Eto’o was the “actual holder of the picture rights”, maintained the prosecution, who added that the switch was fraudulent and solely designed to pay much less tax.

Eto’o is considered one of a variety of soccer stars to have had points with Spanish tax authorities, following the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar, and even managers like Jose Mourinho.