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Report: Mascherano reaches agreement with Spain's Tax Agency regarding tax fraud

Europa Press / Getty

Javier Mascherano will reportedly not be going to prison.

According to AS, citing Cadena SER, Mascherano and Spain's tax agency have come to an agreement that will see the product of River Plate pay a fine of €816,000 after he pleaded guilty to two counts of tax fraud in October.

Although Mascherano was apparently given prison sentences of four months and eight months for the first and second offence, respectively, he will not have to serve any time behind bars as, according to AS, jail time in Spain doesn't have to be served if the prison sentence is less than two years.

In October, Mascherano pleaded guilty to two counts of tax fraud after failing to pay €587,822 in 2011 and €968,907 in 2012. The amount came in unpaid income tax and undeclared income generated from his image rights during the two years. The fine of €816,000 represents 40 percent of the penalty charges from his first offence (€235,000) and 60 percent (€581,000) of the fine from his second offence.

Of course, Mascherano isn't the only player from Barcelona's squad that is fighting the taxman. Spain's state attorney is accusing Lionel Messi of three cases of tax fraud and is demanding a 22-month jail sentence, while Neymar's father said in November that he will seek tax assurances before his son commits his future to the Catalan club.

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