FORMER player for FC Barcelona Alexis Sánchez has admitted to having 'defrauded' nearly €984,000 from the Spanish tax authorities.
In a statement given during investigations into his affairs, Sánchez says he failed to declare his earnings from image rights, or advertising royalties, in his income tax returns for the years 2012 and 2013.
He testified from London via video-conference for his hearing at Court of First Instance number 18 in Barcelona yesterday (Monday).
Sánchez, who now plays for Arsenal, has already paid back the €938,443 owing, and this coupled with his guilty plea means his lawyers are hoping for a lenient outcome.
His defence will now negotiate interest rates payable for the delay with the tax office, as well as a fine, plus probably a short prison sentence of less than two years so that he does not have to serve it.
Prosecutor Miguel Ángel Pérez de Gregorio maintains Alexis Sánchez set up a dormant front company in Malta to launder his image royalties earnings.
Alexis owned 99% of the shares in Numidia Trading, which only had a domicile address and no business premises, activity or other facilities, Pérez de Gregorio says.
Numidia Trading was used 'purely' to launder Sánchez's earnings, which should have resulted in tax bills totalling €587,677 and €395,766 for 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Sánchez is the latest in a string of Barça FC players to be investigated for possible suspected tax evasion.
Argentina's Leo Messi has been sentenced to a year and nine months in jail and Javier Mascherano to a year, plus payment of a fine – although as both sentences are less than two years and theirs are first offences, they do not have to serve these.
Cases remain open into the financial affairs of Adriano Correia, currently playing for Besiktas FC, and Samuel Eto'o, now with Antalyaspor FC, both in Turkey.
The above photograph, taken by Barça FC, shows Alexis Sánchez during his time playing for the Spanish premier league team.
SPAIN'S last-minute win against England in the 2024 UEFA Euros comes on the 60th anniversary of the country's first-ever title in the much-followed competition – and has broken numerous records, too.
A HOLLYWOOD legend joining folk-dancers from Asturias and showing off her fancy footwork in the street is not a scene your average Oviedo resident witnesses during his or her weekly shop. Even though their northern...
