Cristiano Ronaldo accepts 2-year sentence, £16.5 million fine in tax fraud

Madrid: Portugal football great Cristiano Ronaldo has accepted a two-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of £16.5 million for failing to pay tax.

The Real Madrid superstar was sued by a Spanish prosecutor in June 2017 for defrauding tax authorities of £12.9million (€14.8million).

He had initially refused to accept the allegations that from 2011 to 2014 he defrauded the Spanish treasury when he appeared in court in 2017.

Ronaldo allegedly concealed income from image rights sales through a non-clear financial structure which involved diverting money via Ireland into a tax heaven.

Ever since it happened, Ronaldo's lawyers have been negotiating with the treasury for a settlement.

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He has accepted a two-year suspended prison sentence and a fine worth £16.5million (€18.8million), reported the Spanish media.

The football legend, however, will not have to stay behind the bars as this is his first ever conviction.

Under the Spanish law, a sentence of two years or under can be served on probation providing the offender has no prior convictions.