MADRID – Cristiano Ronaldo has told a Spanish judge that he has “never tried to avoid taxes.”
The Real Madrid player, who is from Portugal, was questioned Monday to determine whether he committed tax fraud. Ronaldo spent more than 90 minutes answering the questions of investigating judge Monica Gómez.
According to a statement released by his public relations firm, Ronaldo told the judge: “I have never hidden anything, nor had the intention to avoid taxes.”
Judge Gómez took Ronaldo’s testimony as part of an investigation to determine if there are grounds to charge him.
A state prosecutor accused Ronaldo in June of four counts of tax fraud from 2011-14 worth 14.7 million euros ($16.5 million).
IAIN SULLIVAN
JOSEPH WILSON