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Football superstar, Lionel Messi has been sentenced to 21 months in jail on three counts of tax fraud in Spain. A Barcelona court that made the pronouncement today, sentenced the 29 year old Argentina player and his father for the same crime.

The court has however ordered Messi and his father to pay fines of 2 million euros and 1.5 million euros respectively. Messi has maintained he knew nothing about the wrongdoing over which he was charged: “I knew nothing about the money. I just concentrated on playing football. I trusted my father.” Many shell companies are said to have concealed earnings on the sale of his image rights.

Under Spanish law, a prison sentence less than two years can be served under probation, which means Messi and his father are not likely to go to prison.