Former Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o has been served with a suspended prison sentence for tax evasion.
The Cameroonian Football Federation president admitted a charge of fraud against the Spanish tax authority alongside his former agent Jose Maria Mesalles.
According to reports from Marca, the charge relates to Eto’o’s time at the Camp Nou, between 2006 and 2009, with an estimated amount of €3.8m missed in tax payments.
The report adds Eto’o accepted the charge but claimed the responsibility lies with Mesalles and his father due to his age at the time.
Initial respective sentences of four and six years for Eto’o and Mesalles were reduced by the court to 22 months and one year.
Eto’o is now required to pay four separate fines, amounting in total to €1.8m, with Mesalles paying €905,000.
The issues relate to fraudulent disclosure of Eto’o’s Barcelona wages in the period, plus additional income from a sponsorship with Puma, as money was moved to accounts in Spain and Hungary.
