The former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has been released from prison on suspension after serving half of his three-and-a-half year jail term for tax evasion, Bavaria's justice ministry has announced.
Hoeness, a former player for the club who was sports director for 30 years before taking over as club president in 2009, was convicted in March 2014 for evading €28.5m in taxes.
The 1974 World Cup winner stepped down from his post at Bayern and started his jail term in June 2014. From early 2015 he was able to leave prison during the day and work at Bayern’s youth department before returning in the evening. It is not clear whether he will ever return to the club a senior capacity.
Hoeness was initially charged with evading €3.5m in taxes while investing millions of euros in stocks through a Swiss bank account. But when the trial began the Bayern official, adored by team fans, stunned the court by admitting he had actually evaded five times that amount – or €18.5m.
That figure was subsequently raised further to €28.5m – a figure acknowledged by Hoeness’s defence team.
Bayern have continued to be successful in his absence and are on track for a record fourth straight Bundesliga crown. They also reached the Champions League last four in 2014 and 2015 and are in the running for the premier European club title this season.
(Guardian service)
