Lionel Messi sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax fraud

Lionel Messi takes a knee
(Image credit: Elsa/Getty Images)

On Wednesday, a Spanish court sentenced Lionel Messi to 21 months in prison for three counts of tax fraud, The Associated Press reports. The famous Argentina and Barcelona soccer player is accused alongside his father, Jorge Horacio Messi, of avoiding taxation on more than 4 million euros between 2007 and 2009 by setting up tax havens in Uruguay and Belize.

During the trial, Lionel Messi said he wasn't aware of what was happening with his finances. "I was playing football; I had no idea about anything. I trusted my dad and my lawyers," he said. Both men will likely avoid jail time due to a Spanish regulation that says terms shorter than two years can be served through probation. But they also face fines of millions of euros.

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Jessica Hullinger

Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.