Lionel Messi appeals over tax fraud verdict

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Barcelona football star Lionel Messi and his father will appeal against a Spanish court decision to sentence them each to 21 months in jail for tax fraud, the player’s lawyers say, the BBC reports.

Argentine Messi, aged 29, was also fined €2m euros (£1.7m; $2.2m) by the court in Barcelona.

In addition to the prison term, Messi’s father, Jorge, was fined €1.5m for defrauding Spain of €4.1m in 2007-09.

However, neither man is expected to serve time in jail.

Under the Spanish legal system, prison terms of under two years can be served under probation.

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Emil Lazarian

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