Cristiano Ronaldo accused of tax evasion

[Wenger's Coat]

Spanish prosecutors have accused the Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo of defrauding the authorities of millions of euros in tax.
The prosecutor's office in Madrid says it has filed a lawsuit against the Portuguese player.
He is accused of evading tax of 14.7m euros (£13m; $16m) from 2011 to 2014.
The world's highest-paid sports star had previously said he was not worried about tax investigations as he had nothing to hide.
On this occasion he is accused of knowingly using a "business structure" to hide income made from his image rights.

In December, leaked documents suggested that Ronaldo had avoided tax on income allegedly held in offshore accounts.

He denied the allegations.

When asked about that investigation, he told a journalist from Radio Television Portuguesa (RTP) "Quien no debe no teme", which roughly translates as "He who has nothing to hide has no fear."

Ronaldo is the world's highest-paid sportsperson for the second successive year, according to Forbes' annual list of the world's wealthiest people.

He earned $93m (£72m) from salary, bonuses and endorsements last year.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40260517

[Cripps]

Lol

Messi isn't even the best tax cheater in the world

Messi humiliated

[Waterfordgooner]

6 months in a cell alone with Bubba longadong in a Spanish jail and he will look like that statue of himself

[Zedie]

f***ing criminal. Lock him up and strip him of all awards he's earned for his entire life going back to primary school.

In all seriousness, these big clubs need to destroy the accountants that have gotten their players into this mess.

I highly doubt Ronaldo, Messi or any other footballer even has a clue how to fill in a tax return ffs.

[Cripps]

Punish him

Sell him...to us.

Few years under Wenger will destroy him

[Highbury Hillbilly]

Frankly insulting how they make big headlines out of this, as if it isn't blindingly obvious that they won't actually be held accountable for tax dodging.

A civilian's in a similar situation would be financially ruined and be made an example of, not get off with a suspended sentence like Messi has. He and Ronaldo will not even lose so much as a single dollar in endorsements from this.

[Angelito]

f***ing criminal. Lock him up and strip him of all awards he's earned for his entire life going back to primary school.

In all seriousness, these big clubs need to destroy the accountants that have gotten their players into this mess.

I highly doubt Ronaldo, Messi or any other footballer even has a clue how to fill in a tax return ffs.

I agree. You have football players in football biz from the age of 14/15. They may be geniuses on the pitch, but they're never trained on these aspects of life. If anything, FIFA/the Club/UEFA should be held responsible.

[GoonerAlexandre]

He probably knew the evasion that happened.

I said it with Messi at the time and I'll say it now, if you earn that much and still try to evade the taxes due on you, you're really scum

Again, not to excuse Messi, but this is worse because at least Messi is at a club that thinks Spain should give them independence. What's Ronaldo's excuse for not paying tax?

[Sims]

Always find it hard to blame the players in this kinda stuff but the authorities should really stamp down on these agents

[Slick]

Missed this thread earlier. Yes. Agree with the sentiment that players like Messi and Ronaldo surely pay people a lot of money to take care of these things and wound up being taken advantage of. Crooked accountants probably embezzle millions and you never hear about it because the players are embarrassed that they've been hoodwinked and don't want the public to know.

[Cripps]

Isnt Messis dad his accountant or something?

Like father like son

[Santi]

Always find it hard to blame the players in this kinda stuff

Why? Anyone can learn how to fill in a tax return it's not hard.


It's not the clubs either cos it's talking about money from endorsements so either player or agent but still the buck stops with the man earning the money...

Hopefully not true so we can dangle our little dicks over tax evading drugged up messi

[Sims]

Always find it hard to blame the players in this kinda stuff

Why? Anyone can learn how to fill in a tax return it's not hard.


It's not the clubs either cos it's talking about money from endorsements so either player or agent but still the buck stops with the man earning the money...

Hopefully not true so we can dangle our little dicks over tax evading drugged up messi

cos they dont really get involved with stuff like that behind the scene. theyre essentially a business (well the bigger ones are), they leave the books to others

[GoonerAlexandre]

I seriously doubt they have zero idea about this though

[Sims]

Mourinho now accused

Another Jorge Mendes client