Two and a half years in prison turned into seven months: Boris Becker was released after being imprisoned in a British prison. He probably benefits from a special rule for foreign prisoners.
Former tennis star Boris Becker is free again, according to the British news agency PA. The German was released from prison after more than seven months in detention and will be deported from Great Britain, the news agency reported. The "Bild" newspaper also reported on his release. The remainder of his two-and-a-half-year sentence is forfeited. However, the 55-year-old may not return to his adopted country Great Britain until his actual sentence has expired.
Becker was sentenced to two and a half years in prison by a London court at the end of April because he had concealed assets worth millions in his bankruptcy proceedings. He may have benefited from a special rule that allows foreign prisoners in Britain to be released and deported a year earlier than usual.
As the "Bild" newspaper reports, everything should have happened very quickly in the morning. Becker was no longer able to say goodbye to his fellow inmates.
Immediately following the May guilty verdict, Becker was transferred to the notorious Wandsworth Prison in London, but was subsequently transferred to HM Prison Huntercombe. Around 400 offenders are currently serving their sentences in the men's prison in Nuffield, Oxfordshire, England.
The millions that the tennis legend hid involved transfers of almost 427,000 euros to third parties, a property in his hometown of Leimen, a loan of 825,000 euros from a bank in Liechtenstein and shareholdings. Becker denied the allegations.
He was required by law to disclose all of his assets so his trustee could distribute available funds to his creditors. Bankruptcy Service Chief Executive Dean Beale said three weeks ago: "This conviction serves as a clear warning to those who believe they can hide their wealth and get away with it. They will be investigated and prosecuted."
The three-time Wimbledon winner had collected around 25 million US dollars in prize money during his career and, according to his own estimates, earned around the same amount from advertising. However, he ran into financial problems. Becker blamed the divorce from ex-wife Barbara and maintenance costs in court, among other things.
