Cristiano Ronaldo slapped with Sh2.2 billion fine, two year term for tax fraud
Just hours to the titanic clash between his native Portugal and Spain in their opening game at the 2018 Fifa World Cup, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo accepted a Sh2.2 billion (€18.8 million) fine from Spanish courts.
He was also handed a suspended two year prison sentence as part of a tax fraud case.
According to multiple news sites, the forward admitted to four charges of fraud and had accepted the settlement of the amount.
In 2017 Ronaldo spent an hour-and-a-half giving evidence to judges at a court in the Madrid and has always denied the allegations, saying his “conscience is clear”.
JAIL TIME
According to prosecutors, Ronaldo allegedly took “advantage of a company structure created in 2010 to hide income generated in Spain from his image rights from tax authorities”, which was a “voluntary and conscious breach of his fiscal obligations in Spain”.
Ronaldo is unlikely to serve any time in jail under the deal because Spanish law states that a sentence of under two years for a first offence can be served on probation.
Ronaldo is currently part of the Portugal squad that is in Russia for the 2018 Fifa World Cup. Portugal take on 2010 champions Spain in a blockbuster Group B opening game later on Friday night.