Ex-Norway footballer John Carew jailed for tax fraud
Former Premier League and Norway international footballer John Carew has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for tax evasion and ordered to pay a fine by Oslo's district court on Wednesday.
The 43-year-old was found guilty of failing to report taxable income of 12.8 million kroner ($1.29 million) and assets of 307 million kroner ($31 million) during 2014-2019. He had pleaded guilty to the charges.
The former footballer, who has made forays into acting, had argued that he had not intentionally avoided paying taxes. The judgment also came to the same conclusion.
However, Oslo District Court ruled that Carew had been negligent towards his tax obligations in Norway.
"The court has concluded that he has acted grossly negligently, but not with intent. We have claimed this all along, and Carew has been clear that he has wanted to make amends," Berit Reiss-Andersen, who defended John Carew, told the press.
Carew's defence had filed for the ex-Norway international to receive community punishment rather than a jail sentence. Meanwhile, Norway's economic crime unit had asked the court to hand Carew a two-year sentence.
The footballer argued that he was unaware of his tax obligations in Norway as he was a resident of the UK and paid tax there.
However, under Norway's laws, he was considered a taxable resident of the country as he spent more than 183 days in the country between 2014 and 2019.
Per A. Flod, Carew's former agent and lawyer said he was unaware that the former striker had spent more than 180 days in Norway throughout the period in question.
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The 43-year-old was found guilty of failing to report taxable income of 12.8 million kroner ($1.29 million) and assets of 307 million kroner ($31 million) during 2014-2019. He had pleaded guilty to the charges.
The former footballer, who has made forays into acting, had argued that he had not intentionally avoided paying taxes. The judgment also came to the same conclusion.
However, Oslo District Court ruled that Carew had been negligent towards his tax obligations in Norway.
"The court has concluded that he has acted grossly negligently, but not with intent. We have claimed this all along, and Carew has been clear that he has wanted to make amends," Berit Reiss-Andersen, who defended John Carew, told the press.
Carew's defence had filed for the ex-Norway international to receive community punishment rather than a jail sentence. Meanwhile, Norway's economic crime unit had asked the court to hand Carew a two-year sentence.
The footballer argued that he was unaware of his tax obligations in Norway as he was a resident of the UK and paid tax there.
However, under Norway's laws, he was considered a taxable resident of the country as he spent more than 183 days in the country between 2014 and 2019.
Per A. Flod, Carew's former agent and lawyer said he was unaware that the former striker had spent more than 180 days in Norway throughout the period in question.
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