Messi to appeal 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud
By Oliver Platt
Jul 6, 2016 19:50:00
The Barcelona star's lawyers say they consider the ruling - which is unlikely to result in any jail time - to be "symbolic" and maintain the innocence of the player and his father
The lawyers of Lionel Messi and his father Jorge have announced that they will appeal the 21-month prison sentences handed to their clients for tax fraud on Wednesday.
Barcelona star Messi was found guilty of defrauding Spain's tax authority of €4.1 million between 2007 and 2009.
He is not expected to serve time in jail as sentences under two years for individuals with no prior convictions can be suspended under Spanish law.
For this reason Messi's lawyers say they consider the sentence to be "symbolic" but maintain his innocence - as well as his father's - and insist they will continue to fight the decision.
They argue that the case made for convicting Messi, resting on the legality of companies created in Belize and Uruguay, should actually lead to his acquittal.
The appeal will be filed with the Portuguese Supreme Court, with decisions usually reached in less than a year.
Messi has also been fined six weeks' wages (€1.7m) after being accused of using the companies to avoid taxation on his image rights.
