Ronaldo accepts fine for tax evasion, gets two-year suspended jail sentence

33-year-old Juventus forward, Cristiano Ronaldo agreed to settle the case by paying an $21.6 million fine and accepting a suspended jail sentence.

Portugal's soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo leaves after appearing in court on a trial for tax fraud in Madrid, Spain on January 22, 2019.
Reuters

Portugal's soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo leaves after appearing in court on a trial for tax fraud in Madrid, Spain on January 22, 2019.

Cristiano Ronaldo has pleaded guilty to tax fraud and received a two-year suspended jail sentence.

The Juventus forward, who was facing charges stemming from his days at Real Madrid, was in court for about 45 minutes and signed an agreement which will cost him nearly $21.6 million in fines.

Ronaldo arrived at court in a black van and was wearing a black sports coat and black pants. He walked up some stairs leading to the court house and even stopped to sign an autograph.

Ronaldo made the deal to plead guilty with Spain's state prosecutor and tax authorities last year.

In Spain, a judge can suspend sentences for two years or less for first-time offenders.

In 2017, a state prosecutor accused Ronaldo of four counts of tax fraud from 2011-14 worth $16.7 million. 

Ronaldo was accused of having used shell companies outside Spain to hide income made from image rights.

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