Gica Popescu, a former Tottenham Hotspur defender, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison after being found guilty of tax evasion and money laundering.
Popescu was one of eight persons convicted to prison for their roles in 12 player transfers between 1999 and 2005.
Gica Popescu, a former Tottenham Hotspur defender, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison in Romania after being found guilty of tax evasion and money laundering.
The Romanian international, who retired from football in 2003 after 115 appearances for his country, was widely expected to be the next Romanian FA president on Wednesday, but he is one of eight men sentenced today in connection with a series of financial deals involving the transfers of 12 players, according to AP.
Between 1999 and 2005, all 12 transactions studied featured players leaving Romanian teams Dinamo Bucharest, Rapid Bucharest, Otelul Galati, and Gloria Bistrita to play overseas.
According to the Associated Press, “prosecutors said the state lost 1.7 million euros ($2.34 million) in taxes and the clubs lost 10 million euros ($13.8 million) because officials registered false sums for the transfers.”
The sentences are not appealable because they were all given by the Bucharest Court of Appeal and are regarded final.
As part of the inquiry, seven individuals were condemned to prison alongside Popescu. George Copos, Mihai Stoica, Cristi Borcea, Jean Pădureanu, Ioan Becali, Victor Becali, and Gheorghe Neţoiu will likewise serve their sentences without the possibility of an appeal.
Popescu played for Spurs from 1994 to 1995, as well as PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, and Galatasaray.
