Angel Di Maria receives prison sentence after admitting to tax fraud

Angel Di Maria admitted to tax fraud and received a fine and a one-year prison sentence.

Angel Di Maria currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain. Today, he accepted a 2 million Euro fine and a one-year prison sentence stemming from his time as a Real Madrid player.

Although the prison sentence seems shocking, ESPN FC reported that Di Maria, like many other professional soccer players, will likely avoid jail time. In fact, prison sentences of two years or less are usually suspended in Spain for those without prior infractions.

The allegations were first made by Spanish prosecutors in November 2016. The Argentinian midfielder was just one of a list of former Real Madrid players charged with tax evasion including Xabi Alonso, Ricardo Carvalho and Fabio Coentrao. Radamel Falcao was also being looked at for actions during his time at Atletico Madrid.

According to the ESPN FC report, Di Maria “failed to declare €1.298m in earnings between 2012 and 2013, while on the books of Real Madrid, by ceding his image rights to an offshore company, Sunpex Corporation Inc, based in Panama.”

This news comes on the heels of reports of Cristiano Ronaldo saying he wants out of Real Madrid after being accused of defrauding the Spanish government of $16 million. This leads one to ask: what the hell is going on in Spanish soccer?

Many of the players charged with tax fraud are represented by an agency owned by super agent Jorge Mendes. He has played a part in some of the biggest transfers in world soccer. It might not hurt to take a look at how that agency conducts its business.

Next: Manchester United cleared of wrongdoing in Pogba transfer

These cases have been affecting the biggest soccer players on the planet. It was just last July when Lionel Messi and his father were sentenced to 21 months in jail in part for using shell companies to avoid paying taxes.