Cristiano Ronaldo Gets Suspended Sentence for Tax Fraud

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal poses with the trophy after winning for The Best FIFA Men's Player award during the The Best FIFA Football Awards 2016 ceremony held in January 2017 at the Swiss TV studio in Zurich, Switzerland. Photo: Ennio Leanza / Associated Press
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal poses with the trophy after winning for The Best FIFA Men's Player award during the The Best FIFA Football Awards 2016 ceremony held in January 2017 at the Swiss TV studio in Zurich, Switzerland. Photo: Ennio Leanza / Associated Press

MADRID — Cristiano Ronaldo has pleaded guilty to tax fraud and received a two-year suspended sentence.

The Juventus forward, who was facing charges stemming from his days at Real Madrid, was in court for about 45 minutes and signed an agreement which will cost him nearly 19 million euros (USD$21.6 million) in fines.

Ronaldo arrived at court in a black van and was wearing a black sports coat and black pants. He walked up some stairs leading to the court house and even stopped to sign an autograph.

Ronaldo made the deal to plead guilty with Spain’s state prosecutor and tax authorities last year.

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In Spain, a judge can suspend sentences for two years or less for first-time offenders.

In 2017, a state prosecutor accused Ronaldo of four counts of tax fraud from 2011-14 worth 14.7 million euros ($16.7 million). Ronaldo was accused of having used shell companies outside Spain to hide income made from image rights.

Story: Tales Azzoni