Former Aston Villa and Premier League star striker, John Carew, is currently serving a 14-month prison sentence for tax evasion. The court’s verdict was unequivocal: Carew had “negligently” failed to declare his income for six years, leading to a hefty fine of 540,000 kroner (€52,000) in addition to his jail time.
The 43-year-old former Norway international, who once commanded a hefty wage, was found guilty of failing to declare approximately 12.8 million kroner (€1.2m) in income to Norwegian tax authorities. Astonishingly, this evasion occurred over a five-year period, from 2014 to 2019.
The former Villa striker had initially claimed he was residing in the UK during this period, but investigators unveiled the truth. Carew had spent more than 183 days each year in Norway, making him liable for taxes. Furthermore, he had also failed to declare a personal fortune exceeding 300 million kroner (€29m), adding to his legal troubles.
Norway’s prison service will now decide how Carew will serve his sentence. However, his lawyer, Berit Reiss-Andersen, remains hopeful for a possible appeal, stating, “The court found that he acted with gross negligence, but not intentionally. Carew wanted to make amends.”
Carew’s journey through football has taken him to nine European clubs over 15 years, including Valencia, Roma, Lyon, and Aston Villa. His impressive career culminated in 91 appearances for the Norwegian national team between 1998 and 2011.
However, it was after he retired from professional football that he ventured into an entirely different world. Carew ventured into the world of acting. His transition from the football pitch to the silver screen was gradual yet impressive. He even landed a small role in the Disney blockbuster “Maleficent 2“, starring Angelin Jolie.
