Tennis legend Boris Becker has been jailed for two and a half years for hiding £2.5 million worth of assets and loans while avoid paying his debts.
On Friday (29 April) the six-time Grand Slam singles champion was sentenced to two-and-a-half years imprisonment of which he will serve half, at Southwark Crown Court.
The three-time Wimbledon champion was declared bankrupt on June 21 2017.
The 54-year-old reportedly owed creditors almost £50 million because of an unpaid loan of more than £3 million on his estate in Mallorca, Spain.
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He was said to have transferred 427,000 euros (£390,000) from his business account to his wife and ex-wife, as well as others.
The commentator failed to declare his share in a £1m property in his home town of Leimen, Germany.
He also hid an 825,000 euro (£700,000) bank loan worth £1.1m with interest, along with 75,000 shares in a tech firm, valued at £66,000.
Becker was handed a two-year suspended sentence for tax evasion attempted tax evasion worth 1.7million euro (£1.4m) in Germany in 2002.
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The sports icon was also found guilty of four offences under the Insolvency Act between June 21 and October 3 2017.
Referring to his previous conviction, Judge Deborah Taylor said: “You did not heed the warning you were given and the chance you were given by the suspended sentence and that is a significant aggravating factor.”
She told Becker: “I take into account what has been described as your fall from grace.
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“You have lost your career and reputation and all of your property as a result of your bankruptcy.”
But she added: “You have not shown remorse, acceptance of your guilt and have sought to distance yourself from your offending and your bankruptcy.
“While I accept your humiliation as part of the proceedings, there has been no humility.”
Words by Anish Vij
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Tennis
