Ex-Brazil striker Romario convicted of tax evasion

Former Brazil striker Romario (pic) is appealing a tax evasion conviction that could keep him in prison for up to 3½ years, Brazilian media reported on Sunday.

Romario was convicted and sentenced on June 9 after accusations he evaded about US$500,000 in taxes when he played for Brazilian club Flamengo in 1996 and 1997, Globo’s G1 website reported. He allegedly did not declare his earnings in full at the time.

The striker, who helped Brazil win the 1994 World Cup in the United States, is likely to escape prison time, however, and the sentence could be transformed into community service after an appeal, G1 said, citing prosecutors.

Romario’s lawyer, Alexandre Lopes de Oliveira, said the striker is innocent. He told G1 that it wasn’t Romario’s fault that some money ended not being declared, and that the he never intended to commit any fraud.

Less than two weeks ago, Romario was arrested in a child support case involving his first wife and spent a night in jail until reportedly paying what he owed.

Romario was detained for the same reason in 2004, but was released in a few hours after proving he had paid his wife.