By David Gold
April 19 – Roberto Assis Moreira, the brother and agent of Brazilian star Ronaldinho, has been sentenced to five years and five months in prison for money laundering.
He has been fined R177,000 (£59,000/$95,000/€73,000) after being found guilty of declaring false information about money he kept abroad in a Swiss bank he had not declared.
The sentence is for Moreira (pictured) to spend the time in a semi-open facility from which he can leave during the day, and return at night.
A court in Porto Alegre, whose football team is owned by Moreira, convicted the 40-year-old.
Moreira has been integral to Ronaldinho during his career, acting as his agent following his departure from Grêmio in Brazil to Paris St Germain.
He enjoyed his best years with Barcelona in Spain, winning the UEFA Champions League, before moving to AC Milan and then to Flamengo.
His brother’s imprisonment is yet more bad news for Ronaldinho, who is under intense pressure at Flamengo, with supporters accusing him of not trying hard enough for the team.
With Ronaldinho (pictured) the highest paid player in their squad, supporters expect more of the former Barcelona man and published an open letter criticising him last week.
The anger reached its height when the Rubro-Negro surprisingly crashed out of the Copa Libertadores, South America’s equivalent of the Champions League, to Ecuadorian side Emelec last week in dramatic fashion.
A local newspaper reported that bodyguards for the former World Player of the Year had to protect Ronaldinho as he left the field after Flamengo’s ultimately fruitless 3-0 win over Argentine outfit Lanús.
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