Explained: How did tennis legend Boris Becker land in jail?

What has Boris Becker been found guilty of?

Southwark Crown Court in London found the former World No.1 guilty on four counts of the Insolvency Act — removal of property, two counts of failing to disclose estate, and concealing debt. Becker was found to have transferred hundreds of thousands of pounds after his bankruptcy from his business account to other accounts, including those of his ex-wife Barbara and estranged wife Sharlely Becker. The 54-year-old German was also convicted of failing to declare a property in Germany and hiding an €825,000 bank loan and shares in a tech firm.

Novak Djokovic speaks with his coach Boris Becker ahead of the Wimbledon in 2016. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

Why was Boris Becker declared bankrupt?

Becker filed for bankruptcy at a London court in June 2017. At the time, he owed a private banking firm, Arbuthnot Latham & Co, what The Guardian estimated was around £3.3 million. He had allegedly crossed the repayment deadline by over two years in 2017, and had asked the bank to delay filing a lawsuit against him for 28 days. In the interim, he hoped to sell his property in Mallorca to repay a part of the debt. However, the bank’s registrar reportedly refused, stating that “(one) has the impression of a man with his head in the sand.”

Will Boris Becker be in jail?

Judge Deborah Taylor, who handed down the sentence, said Becker will serve half the sentence.

Did Becker make any attempts to gather funds?

Yes. He held an auction that began in June 2018. The idea was to raise funds to repay the debt by selling memorabilia from his playing days, including trophies and kits. In all, he had 82 items up for sale. The most expensive purchase was his US Open trophy from 1989, which he won by beating Ivan Lendl in the final. It sold in July 2019 for £150,250. He also managed to sell a replica of a Davis Cup trophy he won, for £52,100.

In all, the auction raised over £680,000.

Boris Becker after defeating Ivan Lendl to win Wimbledon on July 6, 1986. (AP Photo/Robert Dear)

What lengths did Boris Becker go to avoid the legal sentence?

The most eye-raising thing the German did was claim diplomatic immunity. In April 2018, Becker claimed he had been appointed the Sport and Culture Attache to the European Union by the Central African Republic (CAR) – a landlocked country in central Africa.

According to rules established at the 1961 Vienna Convention, international diplomats are immune from prosecution in a host country – which includes criminal and civil proceedings. However, Cherubin Moroubama, CAR foreign ministry’s chief of staff, told Agence-France Presse (AFP): “The diplomatic passport that (Becker) has is a fake.”

He further explained that the serial number on the passport Becker possessed was from a batch that was stolen in 2014. Furthermore, Moroubama asserted that the position the German claimed he had from the CAR “does not exist”. Curiously, there have been a host of individuals who have cited diplomatic immunity from CAR to avoid prosecution in Europe, including a former advisor to Muammar Gaddafi.

Boris Becker waits in a Munich courtroom Thursday, Oct. 24, 2002. (AP Photo/Jan Pitman, File)

Has Boris Becker been in regular financial strife?

Since he retired in 1999, the German has struggled with his finances – be it through alimony or failed businesses. During his playing days, he won $25,080,956 in prize money according to his ATP profile, and there have been estimates that his total wealth might have crossed $130 million through endorsement deals.

In 2001, however, the German government had accused him of tax evasion estimated between £3.2 million to £10 million. At the time, Becker had claimed he was living at his home in Monaco – a tax-free haven. However, he had reportedly been seen often at his apartment in Munich, leading investigators to believe he had indeed been staying in Germany, and was hence subject to German tax laws.

What did the court observe in the case?

Judge Taylor said the former tennis player showed no remorse or guilt for his actions.

Referring to his previous conviction for tax evasion in Germany, she told Becker: “You did not heed the warning you were given and the chance you were given by the suspended sentence and that is a significant aggravating factor… You have… sought to distance yourself from your offending and your bankruptcy. While I accept your humiliation as part of the proceedings, there has been no humility.”

Prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley said Becker had acted “deliberately and dishonestly” and that he was “still seeking to blame others.”

Boris Becker and his wife Lily pose for a photograph in front of the Taj Mahal in 2012. (AP Photo/Pawan Sharma, File)

What are the repercussions of the verdict on Becker?

Judge Taylor said: “You have lost your career and reputation and all of your property as a result of your bankruptcy.”

According to Becker’s lawyer, his “fall from grace” has left “his reputation in tatters.”

“Boris Becker has literally nothing and there is also nothing to show for what was the most glittering of sporting careers and that is correctly termed as nothing short of a tragedy. These proceedings have destroyed his career entirely and ruined any further prospect of earning an income. He will not be able to find work and will have to rely on the charity of others if he is to survive,” his lawyer said.