I'm translating a serious text from Mediapart French version of Wikileaks type of magazine, related by Eurosport as an example of many cases...

" Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo is targeted by a complaint by the Madrid prosecutor's office for alleged tax evasion of 14.7 million euros through companies domiciled in the British Virgin Islands and Ireland, the Spanish court said on Tuesday.

The star of Real Madrid, quadruple Ballon d'Or, "took advantage of a structure created in 2010 to conceal from the tax authorities the revenues generated in Spain by the rights to the image, which implies a voluntary non-respect and conscious of Its tax obligations in Spain, "the prosecutor said in a statement. According to the prosecution, Ronaldo "simulated" the assignment of his rights to the image to a company called Tollin Associates LTD, domiciled in the British Virgin Islands, of which he was sole shareholder. And that company then transferred the actual exploitation of these image rights to another company based in Ireland and called Multisports & Image Management LTD, with "for the purpose of interposing a screen to overshadow the tax agency Spanish total income obtained ".
Messi and his father sentenced in July 2016

The prosecutor noted that the star of the 32-year-old Portuguese team reportedly only reported 11.5 million euros of Spanish-born income between 2011 and 2014, even though those revenues would have reached over the three years " Almost 43 million euros ". Finally, the prosecution accuses Ronaldo of having "voluntarily" refused to include 28.4 million euros of revenue related to the sale of its image rights for the period 2015-2020 to another company, based in Spain And christened Adifore Finance LTD.

Citing in particular the case-law created by the sentencing of FC Barcelona striker Lionel Messi, the prosecution states that this criminal complaint is based on a report sent by the Spanish tax agency (AEAT) and sent to a judge of Pozuelo de Alarcon, in the outskirts of Madrid. Messi and his father Jorge were convicted in July 2016 for irregularities involving € 4.16 million in image rights received between 2007 and 2009 through a complex network of companies.

The filing of this complaint is a blow for Cristiano Ronaldo, who is due to participate in the Confederations Cup in Russia with Portugal (17 June-2 July). Last December, the name of the quadruple Ballon d'Or was quoted in the "Football Leaks" scandal and linked to a possible "concealment" to the tune of 150 million euros. The Portuguese had denied any fraud and insured to be up to date of his obligations vis-à-vis the tax authorities.

I'm sure we needed this here. I don't think anyone really doubts that the high profile players who have been accused of fraud over the last few years are guilty. Besides, while I'm quite familiar with the Canadian and American tax codes, I don't have the base of knowledge to comment on the Spanish ones - but it would hardly be the first time richer individuals tried to abstain from the duty we all bear in democracy.

Okay now here are some other late facts :

• Mourinho targeted by taxes.
• Di Maria targeted by taxes.
• Messi from 21 month sentence to a simple fee he has to pay.

Comparing taxes cases Ronaldo is set to be the clearest because the financial montage is the simplest, but nobody harassed him while Messi was going to Madrid court at least 4 or 5 times a year and at big moments at times like Clasico.

Real Madrid have simply no implication on player financial issues and are pointed by the player for some reason, Perez is now ready to pay a part of this tax issue but clearly Ronaldo is mad at him for some reason, my opinion on it is because he couldn't protect him from Madrid prosecutors who are also socios.

So why it's only appearing now ?

As a matter of fact, you can do whatever you like in England in financial escaping methods, nobody will poursuit you. So it's not Spanish league case it's just that in Spain at times justice works, for hidden reasons but it at least works from time to time.

My personal opinion on this is that I don't blame any player from escaping taxes in term of ethics I fully understand, but I feel annoyed by the different treatment Barca got on transfer bans, on justice poursuits and media bashing... I just feel that in a moment where it was hard to compete on the pitch, Perez used some silly ways. I'm not defending president Rossell who I never liked and described like a poor and old version of Perez, but he deserves his jail sentence...

@Sun He is not judged yet, still innocent ATM, but his case and communication is just one of thousand of cases, I'm just annoyed buy the silly use of the law, at the expense of some teams...

Got banned one week for an ironic one line post on it, without explanations probably by Dynast. Not sure why, anyway now that things are clear that was not trolling intention but ironic line on Madrid prosecutors who half of them sit next to Perez in big games, and I can give proof if needed, all Spain Know it. And for me THATS the reason why Ronaldo felt not protected from his club, not because he was innocent.

I barely believe in coincidences, I think Messi favorable court decision to lower his sentence is linked to Ronaldo not being poursuited.
I'm expecting a 1 month ban now after saying this.

Messi actually hid in his foundation 10 millions of Euros and was operating 6 years without a registration and didn't declare any income from the foundation that was operating outside of Spain either:

http://en.as.com/en/2017/06/26/football/1498464359_923447.html

This means Messi actually stole much more than any player ever in the biggest tax evasion scandal, this was found after he was already sentenced to 21 month in prison.

@tiki let's see that proof bro because why not :)

I don't know if this was mentioned before, but does anyone have an idea why they only target foreigners? Or should I say, why aren't any Spanish players accused of this? lol you'd think since there are hundreds of Spanish players in La Liga you'd have at least a few evading taxes. I'm just saying, man. The odds are not low.

@madridista In 2014 there were a few Spanish players under investigation: http://www.espnfc.us/spanish-primera-division/story/2116267/spanish-players-under-investigation-by-the-spanish-tax-authorities

Recently, Xabi Alonso's case was dropped and I think that was the case for the other ones too (correct me if I'm wrong please, it's been a while). I was only able to find info about Xabi's case getting dropped since that was recent: http://www.espnfc.us/spanish-primera-division/story/3036535/tax-fraud-case-against-bayern-munichs-xabi-alonso-dropped

@Yvan Thanks man. I guess I didn't hear about those cases as those players are not as well-known as the foreign players we're talking about.

@madridista yep, no prob. And yea, the Messi case and now Ronaldo's are picked up by every news outlet around the world.

http://www.sport-english.com/en/news/barca/the-prosecutor-whos-been-pursuing-messi--neymar-snapped-at-bernabeu-5773975

Marta Silva, in charge of both Neymar and Messi cases.

“Now they don’t even hide it.” That was the reaction from the majority of Barcelona fans on social media when a certain photograph from Real Madrid’s game against Real Sociedad began to do the rounds on Sunday.

It corresponded to an image from the presidential box at the Santiago Bernabeu, where a blonde woman was spotted immediately behind Madrid president Florentino Perez.

It didn’t take long for people to recognise said woman. It was Marta Silva, the former Real Madrid director and the state prosecutor who has been especially tough on Lionel Messi and Neymar in their conflicts with the tax office.

In the case of Messi, for example, she was the person that pushed for a prison sentence despite the fact the prosecution did not see any reason for one.

And we cannot forget that while the two Barça players’ cases have been processed very quickly, you can’t say the same for Cristiano Ronaldo’s case. Despite having committed the same offence but for a higher amount, there is still no news from the tax office.

I think Spain is just playing it safe accusing people upon the slightest doubt

^ apparently he used same méthod in England with his mother who handles a part of the business. Doesn't seem that England investigate on rich people not paying taxes...

Crisis clampdown on Cristiano Ronaldo after further revelations about tax evasion

FOOTBALL LEAKS - Mediapart releases new information on Cristiano Ronaldo's suspicions of tax evasion on Wednesday. The financial package put in place by the Portuguese star and his entourage would be perfectly studied.

Cristiano Ronaldo is not out of the business. Target of an investigation of the Spanish justice for tax evasion, the Real Madrid player sees the accusations against him become clear. The European press releases on Wednesday new revelations concerning the financial arrangement established by the Portuguese star and his entourage to hide some of his income from the Spanish tax authorities. Mediapart ensures that Cristiano Ronaldo used an account in Switzerland held by a company based in Panama to conceal 150 million euros. This information completely contradicts the verson of the player who claimed to have always remained in the legality.

According to Mediapart, which relies on new documents from the Football Leaks, Cristiano Ronaldo created with his mother's complicity a screen structure called Brockton since 2003. This foundation had an account at the bank ABN Amro of Geneva to manage the Rights to the image of the quadruple Ballon d'Or. Brockton would then transfer the administration of these rights to Tollin based in the Virgin Islands.

A society that no longer exists

At the same time, the player had a UK company named CR7 LLP, which would have misled the English tax administration when he visited Manchester United between 2003 and 2009. He would have used the same setup after his transfer to Real Madrid and this until 2016 when the Spanish justice launched its investigation. Brockton is now dissolved.

For Mediapart, these elements clearly demonstrate the will of a fraud and it could cost very dear Cristiano Ronaldo if he does not provide evidence of his good faith. The Madrilenian will be heard on 31 July and will have to shed light on this case.

Looks like that he did the same In England that's the late Mediapart investigation, anyway he keeps claiming innocence and people believe him easily plus Madrid prosecutors may get influenced so he might escape from it....

Uhmn,, not that Im surprise but that's a huge gap, I remember how trolls call Messi: Taxxi,

Innocent until proven guilty, and I again I said it then and I say it now, the player has little to do with this, they are too focusing to play football, their advisors and tax consultant + managers are at fault. With that being said, for all investment players probably know what's happening to their money.

Nobody with that much of money would be innocent.

I think it's sad players can't concentrate on football because of this...