The jury considered it proven that the former number one in the world hid assets and loans worth about three million euros
The legendary former German tennis player Boris Becker, winner of six Grand Slam tournamentswas sentenced this Friday by a British court to two years and six months in prison for four financial crimes related to its bankruptcy in 2017.
The sentence is known after last April 8 the jury of the court of Southwark, in Londonfound him guilty of those crimes, committed between June 21 and October 3, 2017, the year he filed for bankruptcy.
debts of 60 million
The jury considered it proven that the former number one in the world hid assets and loans worth about 2.5 million pounds (about 3 million euros) to avoid paying their debtsamounting to about 50 million pounds (60 million euros).
Becker was facing a prison sentence that could reach a maximum of seven years. The 54-year-old former tennis player could now appeal the verdict. The fiscal Rebecca Chalkley He assured this Friday that Becker committed a serious breach of trust and stressed that he had already been convicted of tax evasion in Germany.
“Neither humility nor repentance”
The judge Deborah Taylor It was forceful with the former tennis player. “You have lost your career and your reputation, as well as all your assets. It is remarkable that you have not shown any sign of repentance or acknowledgment of your guilt,” said the magistrate before sending the German to the dungeons, as a previous step to its admission to prison.
The former world number 1 ? Boris Becker arrives at Southwark Crown Court with his partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro @Channel4News pic.twitter.com/9scFkIdxJV
— Minnie Stephenson (@MinnieStephC4) April 29, 2022
“I understand the humiliation that you may have suffered throughout this process, but have been unable to show anything of modesty“, insisted the judge. Becker, 54, went to court dressed in a purple and green tie of the shield of Wimbledona trophy he won three times, the first of them in 1985 with 17 and 227 days, becoming the youngest champion in the history of the mythical tournament.
Divorce and your lifestyle
Becker was accompanied by his current partner, Lilian de Carvalhowith whom he lives in the London neighborhood of Battersea, and the eldest of his four children, Noah Becker28, the result of his relationship with the German Barbara Feltus. The champion of six Grand Slams explained to the jury that the more than 40 million won during his career were ruined by his divorce and “commitments typical of a very expensive lifestyle“.
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on your own autobiography, ‘The Player’, Becker confesses that he did not know what to do with his life after being one of the best tennis players in the world for a decade. The German, who was Olympic champion in doubles in BarcelonaHe was also coach of Novak Djokovic for three years (from December 2013 to December 2016).
According to reports from the UK, of the total sentence Boris #Becker You will be able to have probation for good behavior from the second half, that is, the former German tennis player will have to serve more than a year in prison. Terrible news for a legend. pic.twitter.com/jziSNHbK4O
– Sebastian Torok (@sebatorok) April 29, 2022
The jury acquitted the former tennis player of 18 accusations, including hiding the trophies from their creditors. The day before the sentence, the German was seen in Harrod’s department store and appeared in court with a sports bag with the personal belongings that he will take to prison. In principle, the second part of the sentence could be spent with the conditional yes your behavior is adequate, which means that, at a minimum, he will spend one year and three months in jail.