Football
ESPN staff 7y

Diego Maradona balks at tax amnesty bill: I owe nothing to Italy

Argentina legend Diego Maradona has said that he "owes nothing to anyone," and reiterated that he has no plans to pay the €40 million the Italian government claims he owes in back-taxes.

The former Napoli star was accused of having defamed the former president of Equitalia -- the department responsible for collecting taxes in Italy -- in remarks he made in 2012, when he claimed he was being mistreated by the Italian authorities.

The Italian government is considering legislation that would offer amnesty to individuals implicated in the so-called Equitalia files.

But Maradona said his case would not be tax amnesty because he alleged that he has already paid his tax burden.

"I don't owe anything," the 56-year-old told Corriere della Sera. "They have been hounding me unfairly over the last 25 years for €40m with €35m in fines for an alleged tax violation that every single judge has ruled did not exist."

Maradona also said that "[The fine], that was also unfair, was already paid by Napoli in 2003 just as my lawyer, Angelo Pisani, has shown." 

Maradona accused the Italian government of treating him "like one of the worst criminals" and said he was the only football player who had "jewelry and watches" confiscated.

"I wouldn't wish the situation upon anyone. I don't owe anything to anyone," he said. "A lot of people are going to have to repent for what they have done to me because, despite the fact that I am innocent, I have been treated like the worst criminal."

Maradona said the tax authorities should study the case closely.

"If they did, they would find that I don't owe one single euro to the state."

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