IN
THE
WIND
P32
Sito Pons Accused Of Tax Evasion
F
ormer two-time 250cc
Grand Prix World
Champion Sito Pons is in
hot water over accusations
he failed to pay 2.7 million
euros in tax to the Spanish
and Catalan tax agencies.
At the center of the al-
legations is Pons' claims
he lived in Monaco and
London during the period
of 2010 to 2014, and thus
was exempt from paying
Spanish tax. He's accused
of six tax offenses, which
include using shell compa-
nies to hide his personal
wealth and earnings.
Pons faces the very real
prospect of serious jail
time, with Spanish prosecutors asking for a jail
term of 24 years' imprisonment and a 12-million-
euro fine.
Pons has vehemently denied the accusations
and, in a letter from his lawyers, stated he lived
in Monaco until 2012 and London thereafter. His
frequents visits to Barcelona were for the day-
to-day running of the Pons Racing Team, which
runs Lorenzo Baldassari in Moto2.
Pons was investigated for tax evasion in 2010,
with the Spanish tax authority extending the
investigation to 2014.
"The present prosecution accusation is
framed in a persecution that, for years, the
Spanish Treasury has unjustifiably launched
against our client," a letter published in Span-
ish newspaper Marca from Pons' lawyers, read.
"Mr. Pons was already unfairly seated on the
bench by the Prosecutor's Office and the Tax
Agency in 2011 and was freely acquitted of any
crime by both the Criminal Judge and
the Barcelona Provincial Court, which
they then strongly rejected that our cli-
ent would have simulated his place of
residence or committed any crime.
"The evident disproportion of the
penalties requested (24 years in
prison, that is, the penalty of two ho-
micides) shows the willingness of both
the Prosecutor's Office and the Tax Agency to
illegally use our client for exemplary purposes
before the Spanish taxpayers and unduly forcing
him to pay large amounts that he owes in no
way. Despite this, Mr. Pons has offered suffi-
cient guarantees to cover the tax debts, without
said offer having been accepted to suspend the
execution of the same. In short, as it happened
in 2011, this defense will demonstrate in the
act of oral trial the absolute innocence of Mr.
Alfonso Pons." CN
Sito Pons faces
a possible
24 years'
imprisonment
and a 12-million-
euro fine if
found guilty of
tax evasion.
