Time is not going too well for the Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho. With only 2 wins in 4 matches, Mourinho’s men are at the 10th of the table. Meanwhile, Mourinho has got himself into more trouble. The manager has accepted a one-year suspended jail sentence after being accused of defrauding the Spanish Tax Office of €3.3million (£2.9m) of earnings while in charge at Real Madrid.
Mourinho handed prison sentence and fine due to Spanish tax issues.
Mourinho spent three years at Real Madrid. He was accused of using offshore company accounts in Ireland, the British Virgin Islands and New Zealand to conceal income from image rights in 2011. And according to El Mundo, the former Madrid manager has reached a deal with tax authorities, with two six-month suspended prison sentences.
However, Mourinho will not be spending time in prison. According to Spanish law, a sentence of under two years for a first offence can be served on probation.
After a court appearance in Pozuelo de Alarcon in 2017, Mourinho said:
“I did not answer, I did not argue. I paid and signed with the state that I am in compliance and the case is closed.”
The United manager is not the first one to be accused of tax evasion by the Spanish authorities. Top players Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi also fell into the same trouble in the past.
Ronaldo is accused of defrauding the Spanish Treasury of €14.7m (£13m/$16.6m) in taxes between 2011 and 2014 by concealing income earned from his image rights. While, Messi was found guilty of defrauding the Spanish Treasury to the tune of €4.1m (£3m/£4.6m) between 2007 and 2009.
Messi’s 21-month jail sentence changed to a fine of €252,000 by the Spanish courts. His father Jorge had to pay €180,000.