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Cristiano Ronaldo Fined More Than $20 Million In Tax Evasion Case, Won’t Go To Prison

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David Hookstead Sports And Entertainment Editor
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Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo was slammed with a massive fine Tuesday.

ESPN reported the following:

Cristiano Ronaldo was fined almost €19 million ($21.6 million) for tax fraud on Tuesday but will avoid serving a 23-month prison sentence.

The Juventus forward, who played for Real Madrid from 2009-18, agreed to settle the case by paying an €18.8m fine and accepting a suspended jail sentence. Under Spanish law, a first offender can serve anything less than a two-year sentence under probation and Ronaldo will not have to go to prison.

His court appearance lasted about 15 minutes as he only needed to sign off on the previously settled agreement.

Here’s a live look at my reaction to an athlete getting fined more than $20 million due to tax evasion:

Getting fined more than $20 million is just a sickening amount. It’s absolutely mind-blowing. That’s more money than most people make in a lifetime, and Ronaldo is on the hook for it as a fine.

Absolutely mind-boggling on all counts.

 

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Of course, I think we’d all rather pay a fine than go to prison if it were an option on the table. The Portuguese-born soccer star should have the money to write that kind of check without a problem.

After all, Ronaldo, who is also facing a rape investigation, is routinely one of the highest paid athletes on the planet. (RELATED: Cristiano Ronaldo Responds To Rape Allegation)

 

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He might want to snag some endorsement deals quickly in order to make this money back. I simply can’t imagine writing a check for this much money over tax evasion.

I can see myself doing it for like a yacht or plane, but not to the government. Hopefully, he’s much smarter with his money in the future. Writing that kind of check once would be hell. Doing it twice is unimaginable.