Legendary tennis champion will be jailed for loan fraud

Former German tennis player Boris Becker was sentenced by British justice on Friday, April 29, to two and a half years in prison on four counts related to his fictitious bankruptcy. At the age of 54, he will be jailed after being found guilty on April 8 of concealing assets and loans worth 2.5 million pounds (3 million euros). He did this in order to avoid paying off debts.

The six-time Grand Slam winner, declared bankrupt in 2017, faced up to seven years in prison for each of the crimes found against him by the people’s jury of the Royal Court of Southwark in London under the articles «disclosure of assets» and «concealment of debt».

Boris Becker has been living in the UK since 2012. He is accused of transferring hundreds of thousands of pounds from a professional account to other accounts, in particular, his ex-wives, as well as failing to declare real estate in Germany and hiding a loan of 825,000 euros and company shares. Prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley accused him of using a business account as a «piggy bank» for everyday expenses and tuition fees for children.

Boris Becker, who disputes all charges, was acquitted of twenty other charges, including those relating to the disappearance of his trophies. During the court session, he assured that he did not know where they were.