No remorse from tennis legend who thought he was above the law
BORIS Becker, the three-time Wimbledon champion, spent his first night in jail after being sentenced to two-and-a-half years for hiding £2.5million of assets.
The tennis legend, 54, had “lost his career and reputation” after showing “no remorse” or “acceptance of guilt” in trying to avoid paying debts.
In a scathing summary yesterday, Judge Deborah Taylor told greedy Becker his previous conviction and suspended jail sentence for tax evasion in Germany 20 years ago was a “significant aggravating factor”.
She added: “You did not heed the warning you were given. You have not shown remorse, acceptance of your guilt, and have sought to distance yourself from your offending and your bankruptcy.
“While I accept your humiliation as part of proceedings, there has been no humility.”
Becker will serve half of his sentence in prison and the rest on licence, meaning he could be freed by the summer of next year. There was a hushed silence at Southwark Crown Court in London as the German former world No1 was told he would be spending at least a year behind bars.
The BBC pundit blushed deeply at Judge Taylor’s comments and the sentence appeared to wind him. Seconds before, sporting a striped tie in the Wimbledon colours of purple and green, the six-time Grand Slam champion had been standing tall, showing little trace of emotion.
But as he went to pick up a large green Puma holdall to take down with him to the cells, he seemed to struggle with the weight.
His son Noah, 28, dropped his head into his hands and Becker’s flustered partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro blew him a kiss. As she left the courtroom, she could only say: “I can’t speak.”
Becker’s barrister Jonathan Laidlaw QC said his “fall from grace” was “the most public humiliation”.
He added: “Boris Becker has literally nothing and there is also nothing to show for what was the most glittering of sporting careers.
“That is nothing short of a tragedy. These proceedings have destroyed his career entirely and ruined any further prospect of earning an income.
“His reputation is in tatters. He will not be able to find work and will have to rely on the charity of others if he is to survive.”
Becker’s finances hit the skids in 2017. He owed nearly £50million when his bankruptcy was confirmed over an unpaid loan of more than £3million on his estate on Majorca. The former teen prodigy had trans
‘His life and career lie in tatters. It’s a tragedy’
ferred almost £390,000 from his business account to other accounts, including those of his ex-wife Barbara and estranged wife Sharlely, known as “Lilly”.
The father of four also failed to declare his share in a £1million property in his home town of Leimen, Germany, hid a £700,000 bank loan – worth £1.1million with interest – and concealed 75,000 shares in a tech firm which was valued at £66,000.
Becker was previously given a suspended sentence for tax evasion and attempted tax evasion worth £1.4 million in Germany in 2002.
Earlier this month he was found guilty of four insolvency offences between June 21 and October 3, 2017.
His sombre behaviour yesterday was in stark contrast to previous hearings where the TV personality could be seen chatting jovially with court staff, waving at the press and photographers outside and even to other defendants at the London Bridge court venue.
His barrister said he had not spent money on a “lavish lifestyle” but used funds to pay for child maintenance, lawyers, business expenses and rent.
Mr Laidlaw added: “He was in desperate financial straits and what in essence he has done is exercise his own choice as to which creditors to pay, choosing or preferring to pay monies to dependents rather than allowing the joint trustees to determine how those monies should be applied.”
Becker told the court his £38million career earnings were eaten up by his costly divorce from first wife Barbara, together with child maintenance payments and his “expensive lifestyle commitments”.
A resident of the UK since
2012, the star said he was “shocked” and “embarrassed” when he was declared bankrupt.
Becker claimed he co-operated with trustees ordered to secure his assets.
Luxury
He even offered up his wedding ring and relied on the advisers who managed his life.
Nevertheless, one of Germany’s most famous individuals was convicted of four charges, including removal of property, two counts of failing to disclose estate and concealing debt.
Prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley said the jury had found he acted “deliberately and dishonestly” but added: “Even now, Mr Becker is still seeking to blame others when it was obviously his duty.”
The court heard he put £950,000 from the sale of a Mercedes car dealership he owned in Germany into a business account which he used as his “piggy bank” for personal expenses.
They included £7,600 on children’s school fees, nearly £1,000 spent at Harrods and payments to Ralph Lauren, Porsche, Ocado and a Chelsea children’s club.
Becker also paid £40,000 for an ankle operation at a private Swiss clinic and spent £5,000 at a luxury golf resort in China, the court was told. He was acquitted of 20
charges, including nine counts of failing to hand over trophies and medals from his tennis career.
The iconic player, nicknamed “Boom Boom” for his huge serve, said he did not know the whereabouts of the memorabilia, including the 1985 Wimbledon title that catapulted him to stardom when he was 17.
He was also cleared of failing to declare a second German property, as well as his interest in the £2.5million Chelsea flat occupied by his daughter Anna Ermakova.
Anna, 22, was conceived during a sexual encounter with waitress Angela Ermakova at London restaurant Nobu in 1999.