Boris Becker was convicted in London’s Royal Court of Justice on Friday
Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for evading £ 2.5 million in assets and loans to avoid paying off his debts.
The former world number one, 54, was declared bankrupt on June 21, 2017, owing creditors almost £ 50 million for an unpaid loan of over £ 3 million at his mansion in Mallorca, Spain.
The BBC commentator Becker transferred almost 427,000 euros (about £ 390,000) from his business account to others, including those of his ex-wife Barbara and estranged wife Charlie “Lily” Becker.
Becker arrived in court with his partner Lillian de Varvallo Monteiro
The father of four also failed to declare his share of a £ 1 million property in his hometown of Leimen, Germany, which hid a bank loan of 825,000 euros (almost 700,000 British pounds) – worth 1.1 million British pounds with interest – and hid 75,000 shares in a technology company valued at £ 66,000.
Becker, who was sentenced to two years probation for attempted tax evasion and attempted tax evasion worth 1.7 million euros (about £ 1.4 million) in Germany in 2002, was found guilty of four felonies. The Bankruptcy Act between June 21 and October 3, 2017 earlier this month.
Judge Deborah Taylor sentenced the six-time Grand Slam champion to two and a half years in prison, half of which he will serve in Southwark Crown court on Friday.
Referring to his previous sentence, the judge said: “You did not listen to the warning you were given and the chance you were given with the suspended sentence, and this is a significant aggravating factor.”
The German won Wimbledon three times during his embellished playing career
She told Becker, “I consider what has been described as your falling away from grace.
“You lost your career and your reputation and all your property as a result of your bankruptcy.”
But she added: “You have not shown remorse, you have not admitted your guilt and you have tried to distance yourself from insult and bankruptcy.
“While I accepted your humiliation as part of the procedure, there was no humility.
“The most public humiliation”
Becker, wearing a purple and green striped tie from Wimbledon, showed no emotion before being taken to his cells.
Earlier, he arrived holding the hand of his partner Lillian de Carvalho Monteiro, while his eldest son Noah was also in court.
After retiring, Becker coached the world’s number one man for men, Novak Djokovic, worked as a television sports commentator for television operators, including the BBC, and acted as the brand’s ambassador for companies such as Puma.
His lawyer, Jonathan Leidlow, QC, said “dropping the tennis star” was “the most public humiliation”.
He has been Novak Djokovic’s current world number one coach for three years
“Boris Becker literally has nothing and also nothing to show for what was the most brilliant of his sports careers, and this is rightly called nothing but tragedy,” he said.
“These procedures completely ruined his career and ruined any further prospects for earning income.
“His reputation is shattered. He will not be able to find a job and will have to rely on the mercy of others if he wants to survive.”
Becker told the jury that his $ 50 million career (about £ 38 million) in career profits had been swallowed up by an expensive divorce from his first wife, Barbara, child support payments and “expensive lifestyle commitments”.
The German citizen, who has lived in the UK since 2012, said he was “shocked” and “embarrassed” when he was declared bankrupt.
He claims to have cooperated with trustees in charge of protecting his assets, even offering his wedding ring and relying on the advisers who ran his life.
However, Becker was found guilty of four counts, including confiscation of property, two counts of non-disclosure of property and evasion of debt.
“Becker is still trying to blame others.”
Prosecutor Rebecca Chackley said the jury found he had acted “intentionally and dishonestly”, but added: “Even now, Mr Becker is still trying to blame others when it is clearly his duty.”
The court ruled that he received 1.13 million euros (about 950,000 British pounds) from the sale of a Mercedes car dealership in Germany to a business account used as his “money box” for his personal expenses.
These include £ 7,600 for school fees for children, almost £ 1,000 for Harrods and payments made to Ralph Lauren, Porsche, Ocado and the Chelsea Kids Club.
Becker won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old in 1985
He also paid 48,000 euros (about £ 40,000) for an ankle surgery at a private Swiss clinic and spent 6,000 euros (about £ 5,000) at a luxury golf resort in China, the court said.
Becker was acquitted of 20 charges, including nine for failing to hand over trophies and medals from his tennis career.
He said he did not know where the memories were, including the 1985 Wimbledon title, which catapulted him to the 17-year-old star.
Becker was also released for not declaring a second German property, as well as his interest in the 2.5 million-pound Chelsea apartment inhabited by his daughter Anna Ermakova, who was conceived during Becker’s sexual encounter with waitress Angela Ermakova in London’s Nobu Restaurant in 1999
Mr Laidlow said Becker did not spend money on a “luxury lifestyle” but used child support, lawyers, business expenses and rent.
“He was in desperate financial difficulties and what he did was he exercised his own choice as to which creditors to pay by choosing or preferring my money to dependents instead of allowing joint trustees to determine how to deal with it. apply that money, “he added.
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