Luka Modric accepts suspended prison sentence for tax fraud

Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has reportedly accepted an 8-month suspended prison sentence after admitting to tax fraud. Modric was accused of a whopping £783,640 worth of tax fraud in November last year, using a Luxembourg company named after his son, Ivano.

Modric will have to pay a total sum of £1.26m in order to cover the amount defrauded, the prison sentence fine and an additional £313,450 which represents 40% of the fraud. He has however already shelled out £900,000 prior to the start of criminal proceedings.

Modric has been embroiled in controversy ever since his move to Madrid. He also made headlines for the wrong reasons when it emerged that he had offered false information during the trial of Zdravko Mamic, former Dinamo Zagreb director of football. He was charged earlier this year and is set to go on trial at a later date.

If found guilty of perjury, the Croatia captain, along with his Croat team-mate Dejan Lovren, could be handed five years of prison sentence 

The Croatian World Cup winner is not the only player to have run afoul of the Spanish tax authorities. Madrid teammate Marcelo too was accused of tax fraud earlier this month and he too was forced to accept a suspended prison sentence.

Meanwhile, the likes of Jose Mourinho, Alexis Sanchez, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have all been charged to varying degrees in a bunch of cases relating to tax fraud.