Trainer in trouble

Tax fraud? Lawyer demands prison sentence for Ancelotti

Serious accusations against Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. According to the Italian newspaper "Republica", a Madrilenian public prosecutor is demanding almost five years in prison for the 64-year-old for tax evasion. 

The accusation: Ancelotti allegedly tried to avoid paying tax on his image rights in 2014 and 2015. The Italian used a "complex" and "confusing" network of trusts and companies to save around one million euros, according to the public prosecutor's office. 

Trick with image rights
Ancelotti, who was also employed as Real Madrid coach at the time, is said to have "simulated" the transfer of his image rights to companies "with no real activity" and exploitation capacity based outside Spain, thereby seeking to create opacity before the Spanish Ministry of Finance and conceal the actual beneficiary of the proceeds, his image rights. As a result, neither he nor any of the aforementioned companies had to pay taxes on the huge sums of money received in Spain or outside our country.

Does Carlo Ancelotti have to go to prison?(Bild: APA/AFP/Odd ANDERSEN)

The public prosecutor's office is therefore now demanding a prison sentence of four years and nine months, according to reports. Ancelotti has not yet confirmed the reports from Italy.