Diego Maradona, formerly referred to by legions of football fans as “the Golden One”, lost more than weight when he checked into a weight loss clinic at the Hotel Palace health spa in Merano, Italy. The 48-year-old former football (yeah, that’s soccer to my US readers) standout checked into the spa in an attempt to get his weight under control. While he was there, the Italian police confiscated the earrings he was wearing; the three diamond earrings were estimated to be worth just under $6,000.
That may seem like a lot – but it’s just a fraction of the more than 31 million euros (about $45 million) that Maradona allegedly owes. Tax authorities in Italy claim that Maradona accrued the taxes in the 80s and 90s when he played for the league club Napoli. His time with the team earned him a spot as on the list as one of the greatest players of all time. An internet vote for FIFA Player of the Century award tied him with football great Pelé.
You’d think Maradona would learn his lesson. Three years ago, Italian police confiscated two Rolex watches worth about $15,000 when he showed up to play in a benefit match. The police were allowed to make the seizure due to a court order that authorizes authorities to take anything “within plain sight” that belongs to Maradona.
Maradona, for his part, has taken the Richard Hatch approach and claims that he has always insisted that the taxes are the responsibility of team Napoli as his employer and not his.
Maradona is no stranger to controversy. He has previously faced suspensions and expulsions for failing doping tests for cocaine and ephedrine. Maradona’s history of drug abuse led to significant problems with his weight. After a stomach stapling operation failed, Maradona headed to the Dolomites to try out a new weight loss regime… It seems that he lost a lot more than he bargained for.
(Image in the public domain.)
