Midfield master Javier Mascherano had his day in court over a tax fraud investigation. The former Liverpool player was sentenced to spend one year in jail, adding an €815,000 fine after being found guilty of tax evasion charges back in 2011 and 2012.
The 31-year old player stayed in court for only ten minutes, and after the sentence was revealed, Mascherano’s attorneys requested the judge to substitute his imprisonment with a fine, considering offenders such as Mascherano are allowed to do that if the case does not investigate a violent crime. David Aineto, Mascherano’s attorney, also intends to add another fine to Mascherano’s payment in order to have his criminal record expunged.
Mascherano facing court officers earlier today.
Mascherano released a statement shortly after leaving the court via his Facebook & Twitter feeds. The player explained how he got himself into this mess, adding he has always been respectful of the law in every country he's lived.
"After agreeing my arrival at Barcelona I engaged the services of a prestigious Spanish tax firm of the highest professional standing and excellent reputation. I was assessed by these professionals from 2010 until 2014 when I decided to change my advisors in view of the proceedings that had been initiated against me along with evidence that my problem was no longer just a possibility but had become a reality," can be read in one of the paragraphs.
"I'm a professional football player, and I don't possess a great deal of knowledge on tax or legal issues. For that reason, I need to rely on the support of those people trained to deal with such matters that, for me, are complicated. Finally, and after a bitter and painful episode in my life I have finally reached agreement which leaves me safe in the knowledge that I am fully up to date with all my financial obligations," the midfielder added.
Mascherano is not the only Barça player to be involved in tax allegations with Spain's revenue service. Lionel Messi is also facing a possible two-year sentence in jail along his father, Jorge Messi, for failing to reveal income taxes concerning their earnings from 2011 to 2013. A trial date has been set for June 3, but Messi's attorneys are trying to change that date given that the player could be called up to perform for Argentina in the upcoming Copa América Centenario.
Furthermore, Neymar has also been involved with a number of allegations ever since he joined Los Blaugranas in 2013 after the club and the player's agents refused to reveal the real amount of his transfer. The Brazilian player will also have his day in court in weeks to come, although he was not directly implicated in the negotiation or its aftermath.
