In a statement Spain’s tax office, known as Hacienda, is accusing Falcao of “two crimes against the Treasury during the fiscal years 2012 and 2013 amounting to €822,609 and €4,839,253.42, respectively”.
Falcao allegedly hid some of his personal income on tax statements by omitting of details of earnings made through image rights while not having two of his companies taxed when he was living in the Spanish capital.
The footballer set up set up corporate structures – a Colombia-based business named Business Tiger and another in the Virgin Islands called Fardey Overseas with the aim of hiding image rights income.
The charges also implicate Real Madrid’s Fabio Coentrao and follow on from those made against Angel Di Maria and Ricardo Carvalho last December.
Football and tax avoidance
Last year, Barcelona star Lionel Messi and his father were sentenced to 21-months in jailed for defrauding Spanish tax authorities of €4.1m between 2007 and 2009.
Neither spent any time behind bars as, under Spanish law, prison sentences under two years can be served on probation.
Earlier this year, Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez reportedly faced a possible jail sentence after admitting to tax fraud in Spain of almost €1m.
More recently, British premier league clubs Newcastle and West Ham were raided in a joint investigation by UK and French tax authorities over a suspected £5m of income tax and national insurance fraud in transfer deals with French club Marseille.
