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Cristiano Ronaldo has been under tax fraud investigation for a year
Football Leaks just told us what Spanish tax authorities were already looking into.
David Ramos/Getty Images
Last week, Football Leaks and their media partners released stories alleging that Cristiano Ronaldo has directed €150 million through a tax haven in an attempt to disguise his income and avoid paying taxes on it. A week later, Spanish tax authorities confirmed that Ronaldo has been under investigation for 12 months, and that he is likely to face charges in court.
Lionel Messi and other soccer stars have avoided jail time after being convicted of similar crimes by agreeing to pay what they owed while receiving a suspended sentence. Under Spanish law, first-time offenders can have their sentences suspended -- meaning they serve no time -- if the sentence is for two years or less.
Ronaldo’s representatives have issued a statement, saying that their client is fully compliant with tax obligations, and denied setting up a tax evasion scheme.
Goal compilation of the day
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What to watch on Tuesday (click for listings, all times ET)
Champions League: 8 games -- Everything here is pretty low-consequence. There shouldn’t be a terrible or great game in the bunch.
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