Tax fraud conviction lands Carlo Ancelotti with a one-year imprisonment - Discover the particulars
In a recent court ruling, Carlo Ancelotti, the current manager of the Brazil national team, was found guilty of tax fraud in Spain. The verdict, which was significantly more lenient than what prosecutors had initially sought, includes a prison sentence of five years that has been suspended and a fine of EUR 3.2 million.
The crime in question revolves around Ancelotti's failure to declare image-rights revenues during his tenure at Real Madrid in 2014. He was accused of only reporting his salary and not his image-rights income in his Spanish tax returns. As a result, he is barred from obtaining public aid, tax, or Social Security benefits for the next three years due to the conviction.
Ancelotti appeared in court in April 2025 to dispute the allegations. The court ruled against him in July 2025. However, details about an official appeal process remain limited or not extensively reported in major sources. In Spain, individuals convicted in a provincial court can generally appeal to a higher court, such as the Audiencia Provincial or even the Supreme Court in certain circumstances.
Precedent suggests that high-profile tax cases involving football personalities often result in out-of-court settlements, but some have defended their innocence through the appeals process, with mixed outcomes. For instance, Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid's current manager, was found 'not guilty' by the court in a similar case in 2019.
Throughout the trial, Ancelotti maintained his innocence, stating that he was unaware of any wrongdoing in the image-rights income transfer. He also claimed that he only cared about collecting a certain net amount during his time at Real Madrid and relied on the club's and his accountant's advice. Ancelotti indicated that he never received any communication about the Prosecutor's Office investigating him.
This is the second time Ancelotti has faced legal trouble over tax-related matters. Similar charges against him were dismissed in 2015 due to a lack of evidence regarding his residency in Spain. Following the conviction, Ancelotti moved to London soon after being fired by Real Madrid.
As of July 2025, no public documentation or major news outlet has yet reported specific details about Ancelotti initiating or completing an appeal against his tax fraud conviction in Spain. The focus remains on the initial verdict and its consequences.
| Aspect | Details | |-----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Crime | Tax fraud (image-rights income not declared in 2014) | | Sentence | 1 year in prison (expected to be suspended) and €386,000 fine | | Additional penalties | Barred from public aid, tax, and Social Security benefits for 3 years | | Appeal reported | No formal announcement or detailed coverage of appeal process as of July 2025 |
- Despite maintaining his innocence, Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of the Brazil national team, was convicted of tax fraud in Spain in July 2025, related to his failure to declare image-rights revenues during his tenure at Real Madrid in 2014.
- The verdict includes a prison sentence of one year, expected to be suspended, and a fine of €386,000, along with a three-year ban on public aid, tax, and Social Security benefits due to the conviction.
- As newspapers mainly focus on the initial verdict and its consequences, no official report or extensive coverage of Carlo Ancelotti initiating or completing an appeal against his tax fraud conviction in Spain has been made as of July 2025.
