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Soccer - Spanish court hands Carlo Ancelotti one-year prison sentence for tax fraud

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on July 9, 2025

1 min read

· Last updated: January 23, 2026

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Soccer - Spanish court hands Carlo Ancelotti one-year prison sentence for tax fraud
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MADRID (Reuters) -A Spanish court sentenced on Wednesday Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti to a one-year prison term for failing to pay tax on his image rights revenues when he was Real Madrid manager in

Carlo Ancelotti Receives One-Year Prison Sentence for Tax Evasion

MADRID (Reuters) - A Spanish court on Wednesday handed Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti a one-year prison sentence for failing to pay tax on his image rights revenues in 2014 when the Italian was Real Madrid manager, according to a statement.

Ancelotti, who managed Real Madrid from 2013 to 2015 and between 2021 and 2025, was cleared of a similar charge for 2015, as the court could not prove he had stayed long enough in Spain to incur tax liabilities, the court added. He moved to London after Real Madrid sacked him in May 2015.

Under Spanish law any sentence under two years for a non-violent crime rarely requires a defendant without previous convictions to serve jail time.

The 66-year-old former Bayern Munich, AC Milan and Chelsea manager is the latest of several soccer celebrities to be investigated and convicted by the Spanish tax authority for alleged tax fraud.

(Reporting by Emma Pinedo, editing by Inti Landauro and Charlie Devereux)

Key Takeaways

  • Carlo Ancelotti sentenced to one year for tax evasion.
  • The case involves unpaid taxes on image rights from 2014.
  • Ancelotti managed Real Madrid during the period in question.
  • He was cleared of similar charges for 2015.
  • Under Spanish law, sentences under two years rarely require jail time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Carlo Ancelotti sentenced for?
Carlo Ancelotti was handed a one-year prison sentence for failing to pay tax on his image rights revenues in 2014.
Was Ancelotti convicted for other tax years?
He was cleared of a similar charge for 2015, as the court could not prove he had stayed long enough in Spain to incur tax liabilities.
What does Spanish law say about prison sentences for non-violent crimes?
Under Spanish law, any sentence under two years for a non-violent crime rarely requires a defendant without previous convictions to serve jail time.
Who else has faced tax fraud investigations in Spain?
Ancelotti is the latest in a series of soccer celebrities investigated and convicted by the Spanish tax authority for alleged tax fraud.

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