Former Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o has been accused of tax evasion in Spain and could face a ten-and-a-half year prison sentence if found guilty, according to reports in Spain.
A Spanish public prosecutor has accused the former African footballer of the year of conspiring to evade 3.5 million euros ($4.4 million) in taxes owed on income from his image rights when he was playing for Barcelona between 2006-2009.
According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, there are four charges levelled against him, which could amount to 10 and a half years behind bars and a fine of €14m.
Additionally, his agent at the time, Josep Maria Mesalles, would also stand trial if the reported prosecution effort is accepted.
And as well as the long prison term, prosecutors are demanding he be fined around £12m.
The former Cameroon striker is also reported to have operated two companies — Bulte 2002 in Spain and Tradesport in Hungary — and this allowed him to transfer his image rights between the two and avoid having to pay tax.
However, Eto’o is not the first person associated with Barcelona to come under scrutiny for his tax returns, with Lionel Messi handed a 21-month suspended prison sentence in July after being found guilty of tax evasion. He only avoided time behind bars due to his previously clean criminal record.
And currently, Neymar is accused of similar charges, and on Wednesday the prosecutor requested that he be sentenced to two years in jail if he is found guilty.
