Italian Supreme Court Vindicates Football Legend Maradona

The Italian Supreme Court has acquitted the late Argentine football legend Diego Maradona of tax evasion charges, ending a 30-year legal battle between the former Napoli striker and tax authorities. Maradona, known as "the Golden Foot," was accused of using shell companies in Liechtenstein to avoid paying taxes on payments received from Napoli for his image rights between 1985 and 1990. His lawyer, Angelo Pisani, said to Reuters: "It's all over and I can say clearly and without fear of contradiction that Maradona was never a tax evader." A court document published on Wednesday and reviewed by Reuters indicated that the Court of Cassation in Rome annulled a 2018 ruling as of mid-December. Maradona passed away in November 2020 from a heart attack. Investigations into the player's tax payments began in the early 1990s, resulting in accusations totaling €37 million ($40.38 million) and the seizure of some of the player's belongings during visits to Italy.