I Was A Child Then, I Am Going To Pay What I Am Due - Samuel Eto'o Admits Committing Tax Fraud Worth Over 1.6 Billion Naira In Spain
Samuel Eto'o, a former Cameroon forward, has pleaded guilty to a £3.2 million tax fraud involving his image rights while playing for Barcelona.
When the four-time African footballer of the year appeared in court in Spain on Monday, he was given a 22-month suspended prison sentence.
He must repay the money owed, as well as pay a £1.55 million fine.
Prosecutors accused Eto'o of failing to declare income from image rights transfers between 2006 and 2009.
Eto'o is the latest in a long line of foreign players and managers to face tax evasion charges in Spain, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Jose Mourinho, and Neymar.
The 41-year-old, who is now the president of the Cameroonian football federation, joined Barcelona when he was 23 years old. During his career, he also played for Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Chelsea, and Everton before retiring in 2019.
He appeared in court in Barcelona with his former agent Jose Maria Mesalles, who received a 12-month suspended sentence.
The court heard that Eto'o transferred his image rights to a company based in Hungary which declared his earnings in that country, where the tax rate is one of the "lowest in Europe".
"I admit the facts and I am going to pay what I'm due, but let it be known that I was a just a child then and that I always did what my former agent Jose Maria Mesalles, who I considered like a father, asked me to do at that time," Eto'o told the court.
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