Barcelona forward, Lionel Messi and his Dad can avoid prison time if they pay an extra fine so says a Spanish court a few hours ago. Instead of Messi serving a 21-month sentence, he will be fined an extra US$287,000. The court also ruled that Jorge Horacio Messi, his father will be fined US$205,000 instead of serving a 15-month sentencing.
The verdict wasn’t surprising in Spain because prison sentences for first-time offenders under 24 months can be waived by the trial judge. In 2016, a court found Lionel & Jorge Messi guilty of three counts of evading tax and defrauding the authorities of US$4.6 million. the unpaid taxes was from his endorsement deals and not his salary at the Nou Camp.
