Former tennis star Becker sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison for bankruptcy offences
LONDON — Tennis great Boris Becker was sentenced to 2½ years in prison on Friday for illicitly transferring large amounts of money and hiding assets after he was declared bankrupt.
The three-time Wimbledon champion was convicted earlier this month on four charges under the Insolvency Act and had faced a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
Judge Deborah Taylor announced the sentence after hearing arguments from both the prosecutor and Becker’s attorney. She told the former top-ranked player that he’s shown no remorse.
“While I accept your humiliation as part of the proceedings, there has been no humility,” Taylor said.
Becker will have to serve at least 15 months before being eligible for release.
The 54-year-old German was found to have transferred hundreds of thousands of pounds [dollars] after his June 2017 bankruptcy from his business account to other accounts, including those of his ex-wife Barbara and estranged wife Sharlely (Lilly) Becker.
Becker was also convicted of failing to declare a property in Germany and hiding an 825,000 euro ($871,000 US) bank loan and shares in a tech firm.
The jury at Southwark Crown Court in London acquitted him on 20 other counts, including charges that he failed to hand over his many awards, including two Wimbledon trophies and an Olympic gold medal.
Becker, wearing a striped tie in Wimbledon’s purple and green colors, walked into the courthouse hand in hand with girlfriend Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro.
The six-time Grand Slam champion has denied all the charges, saying he had co-operated with trustees tasked with securing his assets — even offering up his wedding ring — and had acted on expert advice.
At Friday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley said Becker had acted “deliberately and dishonestly” and that he was “still seeking to blame others.”
Defence attorney Jonathan Laidlaw argued for leniency, saying his client hadn’t spent money on a “lavish lifestyle” but rather on child support, rent and legal and business expenses.