A COURT in Spain yesterday sentenced Barcelona’s star striker Lionel Messi and his father to 21 months in jail for tax fraud and slapped them with a fine of 3.7 million euros (US$4.1 million).

    But these prison sentences are likely to be suspended as is common in Spain for first offenses for non-violent crimes carrying a sentence of less than two years.

    The Barcelona court found the Argentina international and his father Jorge Horacio Messi guilty of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying taxes on 4.16 million euros of Messi’s income earned from his image rights from 2007-09.

    The income related to Messi’s image rights that was allegedly hidden includes endorsement deals with Danone, Adidas, Pepsi-Cola, Procter & Gamble or the Kuwait Food Company.

    Messi, 29, a five-time FIFA World Player winner, was fined 2.09 million euros while his father was fined 1.6 million euros.

    They can appeal the decision to Spain’s Supreme Court.

    Both Messi and his father, who has managed his son’s affairs since he was a child, were charged with three counts of tax fraud.

    Messi told the court that he trusted his father with his finances and “knew nothing” about how his wealth was managed. But the state attorney representing tax authorities in the trial, Mario Maza, said he found it unlikely that Messi knew nothing about the situation.

    (SD-Agencies)