Carlo Ancelotti found guilty of tax evasion but avoids jail time

Carlo Ancelotti has been found guilty of tax evasion by a Spanish court and handed a one-year prison sentence—though he will not serve time behind bars.

The new Brazil national team coach was accused of failing to pay €1 million in taxes during his first stint at Real Madrid between 2013 and 2015. While Ancelotti has avoided jail, he has been ordered to pay a €386,000 fine.

Under Spanish law, non-violent offenders with no prior criminal record and sentences under two years typically avoid prison time.

Ancelotti joins a long list of high-profile football figures who have faced tax-related convictions in Spain.

In 2017, Lionel Messi received an initial 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Barcelona, later converted into a €252,000 fine. Cristiano Ronaldo, formerly of Real Madrid, agreed to pay €18.8 million in 2019 to settle his own case.

Former Real Madrid manager José Mourinho was also fined €2.2 million for a tax offense.

(QG - Source: BBC- Picture : © Picture Alliance / NurPhoto | Pedro Paulo Diaz)