MADRID (AP) Lionel Messi's tax fraud trial has concluded with a public prosecutor calling for the player's acquittal and the government prosecutor renewing his demand for a conviction.
The four-day trial ended Friday with both prosecutors contending that Messi's father, Jorge Horacio Messi, was the main responsible for defrauding Spain's tax authority of 4.1 million euros ($4.5 million) from 2007-09. However, the legal representative for the tax office said the player knew enough to also be held accountable.
He called for a prison sentence of 22 months for both Messi and his father, while the public prosecutor requested a sentence of 18 months for the father only.
They are not likely to face any jail time even if found guilty, but could be fined and made to forfeit possible future tax benefits.
