Tax fraud case: Messi may swap prison for fine

Messi

Spain’s state prosecutor would accept substituting a fine of 255,000 euros (S$395,000) for the 21-month prison sentence handed down by a Barcelona court to football player Lionel Messi for tax fraud, Barcelona newspaper La Vanguardia reported on Friday.

Messi and his father Jorge were found guilty by a Catalan court last July on three counts of tax fraud between 2007 and 2009 to the tune of 4.1 million euros on image rights and were also fined 2 million euros, Asiaone reported
Spain’s Supreme Court rejected in May an appeal by the Barcelona football star and stood by a Catalan regional court’s 21-month prison sentence.
The state prosecutor was not immediately available to comment on Friday.