Lionel Messi sentenced to 21 months in jail for tax fraud

The pair was accused of defrauding the Spanish state of 4.2 million euros ($4.589 million) in tax from 2007 to 2009.

New Delhi: In a shocking new development, Barcelona star Lionel Messi was on Wednesday condemned to 21 months in prison for tax fraud.

A court in Barcelona found him guilty of three counts of tax fraud, a statement from the court said.

However, under Spanish law a prison sentence under two years can be served under probation, meaning Messi and his father are unlikely to go to jail.

The court also sentenced the Argentine soccer player's father, Jorge, to 21 months in prison for the same three crimes. The sentence can be appealed through the Spanish supreme court, the statement said.

The court ordered Messi to pay a fine of around 2 million euros ($2.21 million) and his father to pay 1.5 million euros for the crimes.

(With Agency inputs)