Jose’s fine has settled tax dispute
UNITED manager Jose Mourinho has agreed to pay a fine to settle a tax dispute with the Spanish authorities during his spell at Real Madrid.
Contrary to reports in Spain which emerged yesterday, the deal did not involve the Reds boss accepting a one-year suspended prison sentence.
A case had been opened against the Portuguese coach last year, which alleged former Real manager Mourinho owes the Spanish state nearly £2.9m in undeclared revenue related to image rights in 2011 and 2012 – a claim which has been strenuously denied by his representatives.
On November 3, 2017, Mourinho made a brief appearance before a judge at a court in Madrid, and said as he left the courthouse he had paid everything he owed to Spanish tax authorities.
Yesterday, Madrid-based media outlet El Mundo reported that a deal had now been reached which will see the case closed, with the 55-year-old accepting a fine of around £1.8m, as well as two six-month suspended sentences, one for each tax fraud case.
Under Spanish law, a judge can suspend sentences which are two years or less for first-time offenders.
But it is understood any form of suspended prison sentence has not been handed out or accepted as part of the agreement, which had been reached more than two months ago. A fine will be paid. A brief statement from the Spanish Attorney General Office read: “The Office of the Prosecutor does not comment on this report that affects Jose Mourinho.”
There was no comment from United on what is regarded as a private matter.