Spain SC rejects Lionel Messi's appeal against 21-month prison sentence

Barcelona: Argentine football star Lionel Messi’s appeal against a 21-month prison sentence and a 2 million Euros fine for tax fraud was rejected by the Spanish Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The FC Barcelona forward was found guilty of three counts of tax fraud between 2007 and 2009.

Although Messi voluntarily paid his tax arrears amounting to 5 million Euros in 2013, him and his father Jorge’s appeal against the ban was rejected. The duo is said to have defrauded the Spanish tax authorities of 4.1 million Euros, out of the 10.1 million euros he gets for image rights.

Lionel Messi, who is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, has maintained throughout the court proceeding that he has not done anything wrong, as he had put his money in the hands of his tax advisors.