Leeds United: Cellino Range Rover tax case delayed
Yorkshire Evening Post 14/4/15
Massimo Cellino’s trial over allegations that he evaded tax owed on an imported Range Rover has been delayed until June by an Italian court.
At a hearing in Cagliari this morning, Cellino’s case was put back to June 23 - less than three weeks after the date of a separate trial involving him.
Cellino is also accused of failing to pay VAT on a yacht called ‘Lucky 23’ and will have that case decided on June 5, barring any further delays.
The Range Rover charge was originally due to be settled in January but the court ordered a postponement after Cellino failed to attend.
Leeds United’s banned owner was not present at today’s hearing in Cagliari but he is expected to learn his fate in little over two months’ time.
According to reports in Italy, the prosecution in the Range Rovers case is calling for a fine of almost £30,000.
Cellino, who is accused of importing the car from the USA without paying tax, denies any wrongdoing.
La Nuova Sardegna, a Sardinian newspaper, says the Range Rovers trial will be ruled upon by Dr Sandra Lepore, the judge who convicted Cellino of evading tax due on a yacht called ‘Nelie’ last year.
That conviction led the Football League to disqualify Cellino from owning Leeds or sitting as a club director. The 58-year-old Italian is nearing the end of his disqualification and will be free to retake control of United on May 4.
A conviction in either of the Range Rover or Lucky 23 cases, however, could incur a further ban from the Football League.
Massimo Cellino’s trial over allegations that he evaded tax owed on an imported Range Rover has been delayed until June by an Italian court.
At a hearing in Cagliari this morning, Cellino’s case was put back to June 23 - less than three weeks after the date of a separate trial involving him.
Cellino is also accused of failing to pay VAT on a yacht called ‘Lucky 23’ and will have that case decided on June 5, barring any further delays.
The Range Rover charge was originally due to be settled in January but the court ordered a postponement after Cellino failed to attend.
Leeds United’s banned owner was not present at today’s hearing in Cagliari but he is expected to learn his fate in little over two months’ time.
According to reports in Italy, the prosecution in the Range Rovers case is calling for a fine of almost £30,000.
Cellino, who is accused of importing the car from the USA without paying tax, denies any wrongdoing.
La Nuova Sardegna, a Sardinian newspaper, says the Range Rovers trial will be ruled upon by Dr Sandra Lepore, the judge who convicted Cellino of evading tax due on a yacht called ‘Nelie’ last year.
That conviction led the Football League to disqualify Cellino from owning Leeds or sitting as a club director. The 58-year-old Italian is nearing the end of his disqualification and will be free to retake control of United on May 4.
A conviction in either of the Range Rover or Lucky 23 cases, however, could incur a further ban from the Football League.