Barcelona star Javier Mascherano agrees to pay 816,000 euros to avoid jail term

Mascherano admitted to failing to pay tax on an alleged sum of nearly €2m.

New Delhi: Barcelona defensive mid-fielder Javier Mascherano has reportedly reached an agreement with the Spanish tax authorities regarding a tax evasion case for the period of two fiscal years.

According to Marca, the prosecution has accepted Mascherano’s offer to pay an €816,000 fine which constitutes 40% of the penalty charges for the first offence (€235,000) and 60% of the fine for the second (€581,000).

Besides, the 31-year-old also reportedly agreed on prison sentences of four months and eight will respectively. But the former Liverpool player is unlikely to serve the jail term, as in Spain, prison sentences under two years do not require jail time to be served.

He admitted to failing to pay tax on an alleged sum of nearly €2m in October, and paid it back in full upon being charged.