Samuel Eto’o Handed 22-Month Suspended Prison Sentence For Tax Evasion

Cameroon Football Association (Fecafoot) president Samuel Eto’o has reportedly accepted a suspended 22-month prison sentence in order to settle his tax evasion court case.

The former Barcelona star was taken to task in November 2016 after being accused of defrauding the Spanish government almost $4 million between 2006 and 2009.

Eto’o previously denied any wrongdoing saying he was not directly involved in his tax matters, but he’s understood to have accepted a suspended prison sentence as he looks to bring an end to proceedings.

According to The Sun, Eto’o has admitted his guilt and has agreed to the above and that he will also pay the sum of $1.5m in fines, while the former player’s representative at the time, Jose Maria Mesalles Mata will pay $776,000 for being an accomplice.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“I admit the facts and I will pay, but let it be known that I was a child then and that I always did what my father asked me to do,”[/perfectpullquote]

he said.

Eto’o is not the first footballer who has gotten into trouble with the Spanish tax authorities, who regularly hand down firm or suspended prison sentences to celebrities.

In July 2016, for example, Lionel Messi and his father were sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax fraud, although they were not sent to jail because sentences of less than two years for first offences are usually suspended in Spain.