RIO DE JANEIRO: Former Brazil coach Wanderley Luxemburgo was jailed for five years and three months and fined 479,100 reals (US$170,000) for tax fraud here yesterday.
However, the court said Luxemburgo would serve his sentence under special conditions allowing him to work during the day before returning to sleep in prison.
Luxemburgo's lawyer Michel Assef said his client would appeal against the sentence.
He was named Brazil coach after the 1998 World Cup finals but was sacked in October 2000 following a string of poor results in qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup and amid mounting speculation surrounding his tax affairs.
Luxemburgo, who is currently coaching Brazilian first division side Cruzeiro, has already paid a fine of 1.3 million reals after being found guilty of making false tax declarations from 1994 to 1997.
He was also found guilty of possessing false identity documents.
In a written verdict, Judge Valeria Caldi Magalhaes said: “The only reason for this crime was gain, despite the fact that he already enjoyed a very good financial and professional status.”
Luxemburgo's crime came to light in 2000 when his former secretary and mistress, Renata Alves, tipped off police. – AFP
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