Brazil coach sentenced to one-year prison term for tax fraud

A Spanish court has sentenced Brazil national team coach Carlo Ancelotti to a one-year prison term for tax fraud committed during his tenure as manager of Real Madrid in 2014.

The court in Madrid also imposed a fine of €386,000 ($452,000) on the 66-year-old Italian, who was found guilty of defrauding Spanish tax authorities of approximately €1 million ($1 million) between 2014 and 2015. Prosecutors had initially sought a sentence of up to four years and nine months on two counts of tax fraud, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

According to court documents, Ancelotti is accused of concealing portions of his earnings through a network of shell companies, including one based in the Virgin Islands that reportedly had no real economic activity. Prosecutors alleged that these entities were used to avoid declaring income from image rights and other sources.

Ancelotti's press officer, Carlos Sánchez, told The Associated Press that the coach would not be commenting on the case for now. Brazil’s soccer confederation (CBF) issued a brief statement saying it was monitoring developments, but has not yet responded to additional media requests.

Under Spanish law, prison sentences of under two years for first-time offenders can be suspended, meaning Ancelotti is unlikely to serve time behind bars. He joins a list of high-profile football figures, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and José Mourinho, who have faced legal action in Spain over tax evasion but avoided jail time.

Ancelotti, who celebrated his 66th birthday last month, is widely regarded as one of football’s most accomplished managers. He is the only coach to have won the UEFA Champions League five times—three with Real Madrid and twice with AC Milan—and has also secured league titles in England, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France.

By Sabina Mammadli