A Spanish state prosecutor accused former Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho of tax fraud worth €3.3 million (NZ$5.09 million) in unpaid taxes on Tuesday (Wednesday NZ Time).
A statement issued by the section for economic crimes of Madrid’s provincial state prosecutor’s office said its investigations indicated that Mourinho committed two counts of tax fraud in 2011 and 2012.
The state prosecutor based the accusations on information provided by Spain’s Tax Office, which indicate that Mourinho used shell companies in the Virgin Islands and Ireland to “hide profits made from image rights.”
It will now be up to a judge to decide whether to take the matter to court.
The 54-year-old Mourinho, who coached Madrid from 2010-13, currently manages Manchester United in England.
The accusation against Mourinho comes a week after the Madrid-based prosecutor’s office accused Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo of defrauding Spain’s tax office of €14.7 million (NZ$22.65 million). The prosecutor said Ronaldo used a shell company in the Virgin Islands to cheat on his taxes.
Ronaldo has denied any wrongdoing.
Last year, Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and his father, Jorge Horacio Messi, were found guilty on three counts of defrauding tax authorities of €4.1 million (NZ$6.32 million) from income made from image rights. The two were given 21-month jail sentences but neither is expected to serve prison time since it was a first offence and the sentence was under two years.
The complaint was made in court Tuesday and relates to the Portuguese coach’s time in charge of Real Madrid.
According to the local prosecutor, Mourinho is under suspicion of having committed two offenses in relation to personal income tax.
Mourinho coached Real Madrid from 2010-13, guiding the club to wins in LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana.
He returned to Chelsea before arriving at Old Trafford for the 2016-17 season, collecting the Europa League and the EFL Cup during his first season with United.
The news follows reports in Spain that Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo will appear in court on July 31 in relation to separate accusations of tax fraud.
United made no comment when contacted by Omnisport regarding Mourinho.
