Former Premier League star hit with eight-month suspended prison sentence and fined - but ex-forward is cleared of tax fraud

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Former Liverpool forward Djibril Cisse has been given an eight month suspended prison sentence for misuse of corporate funds and failure to make accounting entries.

The 43-year-old former France international was sentenced at the Bastia Criminal Court on Wednesday, following a hearing in September.

Cisse had not been present at the hearing, where the prosecutor had requested a one year prison sentence and a fine of €100,000 (£83,000).

The former footballer had been accused of tax fraud, misuse of corporate assets and omission of accounting entries.

Cisse was acquitted of charges of tax fraud and laundering of tax fraud.

French newspaper L’Equipe reported that the case centred around a simplified single-member joint stock company.

Ex-Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse has been handed an eight month suspended prison sentence

Cisse was sanctioned for misuse of corporate funds and failure to make accounting entries

Cisse’s company had been placed into receivership in 2020, but the associated current account remained in debit of €550,000 (£457,000).

Prosecutors argued Cisse had failed to declare the sum to tax authorities, leading to the charge of tax fraud.

An investigation also reported a tax debt of €230,000 (£191,000) for failure to declare VAT and corporation tax.

Cisse’s lawyer Malcolm Mouldaia argued the business was used to manage income linked to his image, as he transitioned from a footballer to a DJ and pundit on television.

‘He has been suffering from this case for years,’ Mouldaia told the court, according to L’Equipe.

‘He had difficulties with the accounting firm that did not manage the case well and did not inform him.’

While Cisse was given an eight-month suspended sentence and €20,000 (£16,600) fine by the court, the former footballer welcomed the decision to clear him of the tax fraud charge.

'I have always said that I did not defraud the tax authorities and the courts have ruled in my favour,' Cisse told AFP.

The former footballer welcomed the court's decision to clear him of a tax fraud charge

Cisse is best known for being part of Liverpool's Champions League winning side in 2005

Cisse's lawyer added: 'We have sued the accounting firm before the Nanterre Commercial Court for failure to provide information and breach of contract and we are demanding that it pay all the sums that were paid by Mr. Cisse in light of his tax audits.'

The former striker is best known for his spell at Liverpool, where he won the Champions League and the FA Cup.

Cisse scored in the 2005 Champions League final penalty shoot-out win against AC Milan, where Liverpool had come from 3-0 down at half-time in Istanbul to level the match and eventually triumph in one of the most dramatic finals ever.

He had further spells in English football with Sunderland and QPR, while he played 41 times for France between 2002 and 2011.

One of his sons Prince is part of Liverpool's academy, while Cassius Clay Cisse plays for Notts County.