Lionel Messi - 21 month jail sentence for tax fraud

StringerBell

Not read the thread, very convenient sentence alright. Not much of a surprise, well other then that he can now be officially labelled a convicted criminal - Nice guy Messi, saviour and poster boy of football.

Gbear

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

And maybe Messi should be grateful for all the hard working people in Spain who pay his wages and yet manage to pay their taxes without trouble.

I'd imagine the people of Spain pay a fairly small proportion of his wages and it's not difficult to handle your taxes if the little you pay is automatically deducted from your wages.

In general suspending sentences under 2 years seems like quite a good idea.

Also, the idea of sending someone to prison for tax fraud is a nonsense anyway.

As much as vindictive bull**** sways popular opinion on sentencing, there's no benefit to spending money imprisoning people for non-violent crimes like this.
Certainly not unless they're repeatedly caught and have shown they're an ongoing danger to society.

LiamoSail

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

And maybe Messi should be grateful for all the hard working people in Spain who pay his wages and yet manage to pay their taxes without trouble.

Demand and supply dictates the level of his salary. Granted, the majority that finance his salary pay their taxes in full, but none pay a fraction of what Messi pays.

My point of view is irrelevant to Messi or Barca, I'm certainly not a fan boy. It's based on having a far bigger issue with people who don't contribute to society at all, despite being able, than those who don't contribute enough.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Gbear wrote: »

I'd imagine the people of Spain pay a fairly small proportion of his wages and it's not difficult to handle your taxes if the little you pay is automatically deducted from your wages.

In general suspending sentences under 2 years seems like quite a good idea.

Also, the idea of sending someone to prison for tax fraud is a nonsense anyway.

As much as vindictive bull**** sways popular opinion on sentencing, there's no benefit to spending money imprisoning people for non-violent crimes like this.
Certainly not unless they're repeatedly caught and have shown they're an ongoing danger to society.

It's also not difficult to handle your taxes if you get a 100% honest accountant and don't attempt to dodge anything.

Don't have a problem with him not being sent to jail if that is the normal sentence but he shouldn't be given preferential treatment because of who he is.

The people of Spain purchase tickets to watch Barcelona play each week, if Barcelona don't have 90,000 at their games every week then he's not getting paid so much money.

Billy86

LiamoSail wrote: »

I think jailing him would have been ridiculous. It's not as if he didn't pay tax, he just didn't pay enough. He's probably in the top 1% of personal contributors to Spanish tax revenues, they should be grateful for his financial contribution to the country. He's done far more to fund services in Spain than most through his tax contributions. I think a fine is absolutely fair to both parties.

Man, the lengths some people will go to paint Messi as borderline infallible... :pac:

The_Kew_Tour

He is not a murderer, or rapist or even a racist, but what he did was wrong.

I'm not going miss s second sleep over it, but the defending of him is quite funny, actually it's very funny reading.

Too Tough To Die

It would be crime against humanity to jail Messi over such a trivial matter, when everyone knows he was clearly oblivious to any wrongdoing. Thankfully, we've learned our lesson from Ali's jailing and common sense has prevailed.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Too Tough To Die wrote: »

It would be crime against humanity to jail Messi over such a trivial matter, when everyone knows he was clearly oblivious to any wrongdoing. Thankfully, we've learned our lesson from Ali's jailing and common sense has prevailed.

Sure he was.;)

The_Kew_Tour

Too Tough To Die wrote: »

It would be crime against humanity to jail Messi over such a trivial matter, when everyone knows he was clearly oblivious to any wrongdoing. Thankfully, we've learned our lesson from Ali's jailing and common sense has prevailed.

Except for the part where he was found guilty.

But keep trying

Too Tough To Die

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Except for the part where he was found guilty.

But keep trying

Never denied he was found guilty mate. He certainly deserves punishment.

The_Kew_Tour

Too Tough To Die wrote: »

Never denied he was found guilty mate. He certainly deserves punishment.

You said he was "clearly oblivious to any wrongdoing". I think he knew well what he was doing

But anyway it's over now. Life goes on

OwaynOTT

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

It is when the average sentence is 4 years. Inside a prison cell!!!

Much prefer the four year stints outside the prison cell.

Billy86

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Much prefer the four year stints outside the prison cell.

So does Messi it would appear, onky with the two year version.

The_Kew_Tour

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Much prefer the four year stints outside the prison cell.

Well I'm sure everyone who commits offense do

He'll rightly be considered the second best tax dodging footballer ever...

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/18/maradona-39m-euros-tax-bill-italy

764dak

Deleted User wrote: »

He'll rightly be considered the second best tax dodging footballer ever...

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/18/maradona-39m-euros-tax-bill-italy

So Messi is the best of his generation.

Iused2likebusts

[Deleted User] wrote: »

He'll rightly be considered the second best tax dodging footballer ever...

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/18/maradona-39m-euros-tax-bill-italy

Especially when you consider that Maradona was around in an era of world class tax collectors.

The_Kew_Tour

Messi always in his Maradona shadow.

titan18

https://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team/news/2016-2017/-weareallleomessi-show-your-support

Might be one of the most ill advised things I've seen a club do. I'm sure the many unemployed Spaniards will appreciate saying they're same as a guy who's been convicted of tax fraud

CSF

titan18 wrote: »

https://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team/news/2016-2017/-weareallleomessi-show-your-support

Might be one of the most ill advised things I've seen a club do. I'm sure the many unemployed Spaniards will appreciate saying they're same as a guy who's been convicted of tax fraud

The Barcelona fans probably won't take badly to it at all. It's still a crass gesture from what I personally view to be a horrible football club.

GLaDOS

Using the hashtag #WeAreAllLeoMessi while posting a photo or message with both hands open, the campaign is encouraging all Barça fans to express their sympathy for the greatest footballer in the world by voicing their unconditional support on social networks.

I don't see why anyone should be sympathetic? Unless they're framing it as some sort attack on Barcelona/Catalonia?

Skylinehead

It's Suarez t-shirts all over again.

J. Marston

Skylinehead wrote: »

It's Suarez t-shirts all over again.

This is on a whole other level. Those t-shirts were dumb, this thing is one of the stupidest, most shameless things I've ever seen from a football club.

Billy86

It's Messi, it's Barcelona. The media will likely paint this as a great, wholesome, classy move.

Arghus

I especially like the part where they encourage people to offer unconditional support.

Unconditional.

JaMarcusHustle

If this was in a movie, I'd criticise it for "no club could be that stupid".

Absolutely hilarious.

Lithium93_

Barcelona encouraging people to support a convicted tax fraud.

Billy86

Lithium93_ wrote: »

Barcelona encouraging people to support a convicted tax fraud.

It's Barca, if you can't just sit back, shut up, stop asking questions and appreciate how romantic this whole thing is then there is nothing we can do for you.

alchemist33

We're having a sponsored walk for Lionel on Monday at 8, starting from the GAA club. Still need marshalls if anyone's free.

adaminho

alchemist33 wrote: »

We're having a sponsored walk for Lionel on Monday at 8, starting from the GAA club. Still need marshalls if anyone's free.

Is it cash in hand?

Agent Coulson

Lost his appeal today against the prison sentence but still probably won't go to jail.


But I wonder will this be the moment he decides to leave Barca.

JaMarcusHustle

Will that have any implication on him playing games abroad, particularly international football? i.e. having a criminal record and a (suspended) jail sentence under his belt?

Mushy

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Will that have any implication on him playing games abroad, particularly international football? i.e. having a criminal record and a (suspended) jail sentence under his belt?

With it being for non-violent means he may get away with it. Then again this opinion isn't rooted in a legal basis.

~Rebel~

Mushy wrote: »

With it being for non-violent means he may get away with it. Then again this opinion isn't rooted in a legal basis.

The money his presence alone brings into a country makes me think something will be sorted out.

Mushy

~Rebel~ wrote: »

The money his presence alone brings into a country makes me think something will be sorted out.

Exactly!

Would love to see what would happen if like Chelsea were playing Barcelona in a cl final at Wembley, or Argentina going to Brazil in a WC qualifier for instance. Easy excuse to not let him play.

ArmaniJeanss

Mushy wrote: »

Exactly!

Would love to see what would happen if like Chelsea were playing Barcelona in a cl final at Wembley, or Argentina going to Brazil in a WC qualifier for instance. Easy excuse to not let him play.

The Serge Aurier thing? (which I thought was terrible for football btw).

But presumably it wouldn't apply to Messi as I'm guessing he is an EU citizen at this stage so wouldn't be prevented travelling to the UK (currently, who knows after brexit).
And would also assume the South American countries have free travel agreements between them (he'd hardly be the first south American footballer with a criminal record but don't recall it being an issue for qualifiers,Copa's etc).

jacool

and looks like he's not the only one judging by Marca - potentially lethal 5 a side inside team being built

Agent Coulson

21-month prison sentence has now been replaced with €250k fine.


Laughable not even a weeks wages for him.

eagle eye

He is a criminal for life though. He'll never be able to get rid of that tag.

Dirty Dingus McGee

eagle eye wrote: »

He is a criminal for life though. He'll never be able to get rid of that tag.

Oh how awful.I'm sure he won't be able to sleep knowing he's down in the books as a criminal for life.

eagle eye

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Oh how awful.I'm sure he won't be able to sleep knowing he's down in the books as a criminal for life.

You didn't put a space between . and I'm. I hope that doesn't keep you up later on.