Melandri guilty of tax dodging

BMW World Superbike rider Marco Melandri has received a nineteen month suspended sentance in his home town of Ravenna, after being convicted of tax evasion offences.

In a case similar to Valentino Rossi’s conviction in 2008, Melandri was prosecuted for failing to pay taxes on millions of pounds of earnings from 2003-2005, while riding for Tech 3 and Movistar in MotoGP.

The case centred around Melandri claiming to be resident near to Donington Park, although prosecution evidence showed he spent most of his time in Italy.