Atlético Madrid striker Diego Costa has been handed a 6-month prison sentence and fined €543,208 for tax fraud but will avoid a jail term, according to El Mundo.
Costa pleaded guilty to defrauding the state of more than €1m by not declaring payments of more than €5.15m from his move to Chelsea in 2014. In addition, the 31-year-old failed to declare more than €1m in image rights.
Under Spanish law, he will not serve prison time by paying a fine of €36,000. Spain’s legal system allows sentences under two years for non-violent crimes to be exchanged for a fine.
Costa has managed just 19 appearances and two goals in an injury-hit season so far for Los Colchoneros, but will be expected to feature more when La Liga returns in mid-June.
