November 30 – Real Madrid’s Croatian midfield star Luka Modric has become the latest high-profile player in Spain accused of tax fraud on revenue from his image rights.
Prosecutors believe Modric, whose wife Vadja is also cited in the accusation, evaded a combined total of €870,728 in 2013 and 2014 via a shell company set up in Luxembourg, Ivano S.A.R.L.
Modric, 32, joined Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for a reported fee of £30 million in 2012 and joins the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo to be accused of financial deception.
On Tuesday, Marcelo admitted to a €490,917 tax fraud via his image rights in 2013. The Brazilian defender is expected to be handed a four-month suspended sentence and a fine worth 40% of the defrauded amount.
Court files from the prosecutor for the region of Madrid said Modric signed a contract in December 2012 ceding his image rights to Ivano, which received payments of €552,485 in 2013 and €729,000 in 2014.
The filing said Ivano is a “false” company, “created with the only purpose of channelling the player’s image rights and avoiding tax”.
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