Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa has pleaded guilty to defrauding the Spanish state of more than €1 million.
This came after failing the player failed to declare payments of over €5m earned from his 2014 move to Chelsea.
The Spain International player was sentenced to six months in prison on today Thursday.
Spanish law states that non violent crimes with a punishment of under two years’ imprisonment can be resolved with a fine for first time offenders.
In Costa’s case, the player will fork out an additional payment of just over €500,000 on top of the missing €1m in order to fully satisfy the courts.
With a failure to declare image rights also having come under the state’s microscope during investigation.
Costa left Atletico Madrid in July of 2014 after Chelsea agreed to meet the forward’s £32m buyout clause.
Diego Costa won two Premier League titles and a League Cup during his time with Chelsea.
He netted a respectable 59 goals across 120 appearances in his time at Stamford bridge.
His exit from the Blues came to an end when then head coach Antonio Conte having sent the player a text message.
He wrote telling him that he was no longer part of his plans for the London club.
Costa eventually secured a deal to head back to Atletico Madrid in 2017 although not before going into self exile in Brazil.
It came following his spat with Conte but he could not represent the club until the beginning of 2018 due to a transfer ban.
Costa helped Atletico Madrid to Europa League and Super Cup success in his first season back at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Since then the striker has struggled to replicate the kind of form that saw Chelsea pursue his signature in the first place.
Diego Costa has only managed to net two goals in 19 appearances for Diego Simeone’s side this season.
