Report: Cristiano Ronaldo reaches deal to end tax case
Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has accepted a plea deal to avoid prison on tax fraud charges, according to The Associated Press.
The reported deal with Spain’s Tax Office will have Ronaldo pleading guilty and paying a fine of about 19 million euros ($22 million) in exchange for a reduced prison sentence that will most likely be suspended.
The AP reported Thursday that a source with knowledge of the deal said the agreement will be finalized in the coming days.
Ronaldo had been accused of defrauding Spanish authorities of $16.5 million in taxes between 2011 and 2014.
In charging Ronaldo in June 2017 with four crimes against the public treasury, prosecutors say he had used a “business structure” — created in 2010 — to hide the revenue generated by his image rights from the Spanish treasury.
Ronaldo left Real Madrid earlier this month to sign with the Italian team Juventus.
