Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has reportedly accepted a suspended one-year prison sentence having being found guilty of defrauding the Spanish tax authorities of around €3.3million.
The Portuguese coach has remained under investigation by Spain’s Inland Revenue despite declaring the case brought against him closed in November of last year.
“I did not answer, I did not argue. I paid and signed with the state that I am in compliance and the case is closed,” Mourinho told reporters as he left the court in Pozuelo de Alarcon exactly 10 months ago, though a court spokesman insisted he remained under official investigation.
Spanish daily El Mundo reports that Mourinho will accept in writing that he concealed from the treasury his income from image rights corresponding to the years 2011 and 2012, when he was managing Real Madrid.
He was accused of using offshore companies in Ireland, the British Virgin Islands and New Zealand to conceal his earnings, totalling around €3.3m – of which he has been fined 60%, which equates to €1.9m (£1.78m).
However, it also carries a six-month prison sentence for each year, and Mourinho has now finally accepted a compliance agreement that prevents him from going to trial and commutes his prison sentence – meaning he will not serve any time in jail.
