More trouble for Becker as the taxman cometh

Boris Becker's problems intensified yesterday when his lawyer admitted that the Munich tax inspectorate has demanded that the three-time Wimbledon champion pay some DM25m (about £7.6m) in back taxes.

The invoice is the latest in a catalogue of disasters for Becker, following his high-profile divorce in January and a hefty pay-out when he admitted fathering a child with a Russian model.

Becker's lawyer Jan Olaf Leisner said yesterday that his client is not willing to pay that amount, but he hopes to reach a deal with the tax authorities by the end of the year.

Leisner added that Becker's representatives had offered to pay DM14m in back taxes last year, but failed to win an assurance that such a payment would guarantee him amnesty from future criminal proceedings. "It cannot follow that Becker is still threatened with proceedings after paying back taxes," his lawyer said.

Becker divorced his wife of seven years, the German-American Barbara Feltus, and reached a multi-million dollar divorce settlement earlier this year. The following month he admitted he had fathered a child with Angela Ermekowa, a Russian model who is resident in London, and he promised to support the child.

Leisner said that he assumed that the tax investigator would complete his final report soon, adding that the former player's lawyers were ready for talks with prosecutors.

Yesterday's Der Spiegel magazine, citing unnamed sources in Bavaria's financial administration, alleged that Becker may be liable for DM25m of back tax payments, which could amount to DM40m when interest and lawyers fees are included. Leisner confirmed the report.

The Munich finance authorities declined to comment on the magazine's claim that the tax investigation into Becker's affairs, which has been ongoing for five years, should be completed soon.

Munich prosecutors said they will decide whether to lay charges of tax evasion against Becker when the report is completed. The chief prosecutor Manfred Wick said that he wants to see whether the investigation had produced new information.

The state prosecution had said it saw no reason to launch legal proceedings against Becker in 1997, even though tax inspectors had recommended such action at the time. In 1998 tax inspectors searched Becker's house on suspicion of tax fraud. He denies any wrongdoing.

Tax inspectors suspect that while the German listed his official home as Monaco between 1990 and 1993, Becker was in fact spending much of his time in Germany. If he spent more than half of any calendar year in his home country, he would be liable to pay German taxes.

Leisner said yesterday that Becker had been living permanently in Munich since 1994, although his lawyers have said that during the early phase of his career the player was constantly on the Tour.

Peter Graf, father of the German former world No1 women's player Steffi Graf, was released from a Stuttgart prison in 1998 after serving half of his three-year-and-nine-month sentence for tax evasion. - Reuters