Real Madrid's manager Carlo Ancelotti has found himself in the crosshairs of Spanish prosecutors over tax fraud.
Renowned for his unparalleled success in the sport, having clinched four Champions League titles in his career and also leading Madrid to another La Liga title this season.
Ancelotti's fraud case
Ancelotti's case underscores a recurring narrative within the footballing realm, where the collision of immense fortunes and labyrinthine tax laws often sparks clashes with the authorities.
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According to reports from Madrid Xtra on X, “The Prosecutor’s Office requests almost five years in prison for Carlo Ancelotti for defrauding €1M back in 2014 and 2015.”
The Real Madrid manager now faces allegations of defrauding Spanish tax authorities of €1 million between 2014 and 2015.
The Prosecutor’s Office has also called for a hefty prison sentence of nearly five years for the esteemed Italian tactician, placing him on a long list of football luminaries grappling with legal challenges over financial improprieties.
Spanish fraud cases
The likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been entangled in this story previously, bringing attention to the problem of tax avoidance in professional sports.
Lionel Messi, the Inter Miami forward and regarded by many as the greatest footballer of all time, was sentenced alongside his father in 2016 for defrauding Spain’s tax office of €4.1 million from image rights earnings," the report states.
However, Messi managed to sidestep incarceration by opting to pay a fine and agreeing to a suspended sentence, a typical resolution in Spain for first-time offenders facing sentences of two years or less.
Similarly, Cristiano Ronaldo, another heavyweight in the footballing pantheon and currently plying his trade for Al Nassr, found himself embroiled in accusations of evading €14.7 million in taxes.
Ronaldo resolved his legal entanglement in 2019 by consenting to cough up an €18.8 million fine and acquiescing to a two-year suspended prison sentence.