Barcelona star Pique told to pay 2.1m euros in tax arrears and fines
MADRID, July 12 (Xinhua) — Barcelona and Spanish international center half Gerard Pique has been told to pay 2.1m euros by the Tribunal Economico-Administrativo Central in Madrid.
Pique had been found guilty of tax evasion around the profit he made from his image rights from 2008 to 2010 but decided to appeal the decision in the Tribunal Economico-Administrativo Central last month.
However, the court upheld the original decision and now Pique is required to pay the full amount of tax evaded as well as the fines imposed by the tribunal.
Pique, nor his management team, have made any comment at this stage, yet have the right to take the case to the Spanish Supreme Court if they wish to appeal further.
Pique’s case follows the cases of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who both were found guilty of evading taxes around image rights in 2017 and 2016. Ronaldo was given a two-year suspended sentence and was forced to pay 18.8 million euros in tax arrears and fines, while Messi was given a 21-month suspended jail term and was compelled to pay two million euros in fines and taxes.
The judgment follows the recent revelation that Pique’s wife, pop star Shakira, was questioned by a judge in Catalonia last month over an alleged 14.5 million euros of evaded tax.
