Eto'o risks 20-year jail term over tax evasion

THREE-TIME African Footballer Of The Year, Samuel Eto'o has been accused by a Spanish public prosecutor 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.Now captain of Russian Premier League club, Anzhi Makhachkala, Eto'o is accused of four tax offences, each punishable with up to five years in prison and a fine of as much as 21 million euros.Tribunesports gathered through Reuters yesterday that the case presented by the prosecutor on June 15 asked a judge to open proceedings against Eto'o before the statute of limitations on one of the alleged offences expires tomorrow.Eto'o also allegedly used one of his Spanish companies to deduct personal expenses, such as payments for his mortgages, furniture and expenses related to his luxury cars.Eto'o and his club could not immediately be reached for comment.The prosecutor also accused Eto'o's former agent, Jose Maria Mesalles, and the manager of his Spanish company, Manuel de Jesus Lastre, of the same tax offences.Eto'o filed a lawsuit against Mesalles at a Barcelona court last year, accusing him of betraying his trust and of embezzling money.
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