Boris Becker in court: business account as a "piggy bank" for shopping sprees?

Created: 03/24/2022, 09:57

Boris Becker has to answer to a court in England.

The process of delaying insolvency has begun - all developments in the news ticker.

Update from March 23, 9:52 a.m .:

According to the public prosecutor, Boris Becker, who is on trial in London, used his business account as a “piggy bank” for expensive shopping trips and school fees.

Despite his financial woes, Becker spent hundreds of pounds at London's luxury department store Harrods and indulged in designer clothes, prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley told jury Tuesday.

The 54-year-old has had to answer to the court for delaying bankruptcy since Monday.

The public prosecutor accuses Becker of embezzling assets and not complying with information obligations in insolvency proceedings in his adopted home of Great Britain.

He faces up to seven years in prison.

A bankruptcy court in London had declared the three-time Wimbledon winner insolvent in June 2017 because of outstanding debts.

At the time, his outstanding debts were estimated at up to £50 million (€59 million).

Boris Becker in court: He is said to have concealed income

In 24 charges, Becker is now accused of having withheld several trophies in the insolvency proceedings, including the trophy for his first Wimbledon victory in 1985. He is also said to have kept real estate, shares and bank balances secret and large sums of money in his ex-wives' accounts, among other things Barbara and Lilly Becker have transferred.

Among other things, Becker is said to have concealed income of 1.13 million euros from the sale of a Mercedes car dealership in Germany, which was transferred to a company account.

Becker used this account as a supplement to his own account, "actually his own piggy bank, for everyday expenses like school fees for the children and the like," said prosecutor Chalkley.

Boris Becker: trial in London - tennis legend in court

She said the account was used in 2017 to settle £643 bills from fashion house Polo Ralph Lauren, £7,600 for school fees and £976 for purchases from luxury department store Harrods.

In addition, 300,000 euros are said to have been transferred to his own account.

Additional sums went to an account owned by Becker and his son Noah.

The former tennis star rejects the allegations made against him.

The process is expected to take three weeks.

Becker appeared in court accompanied by his partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro.

During his active sports career, Becker had won 49 titles and collected prize money of more than 20 million euros.

Unforgotten is his first Wimbledon victory in 1985 at the age of 17.

He became the youngest singles winner of the most prestigious tournament.

Boris Becker: the process in London has begun – the tennis legend faces up to seven years in prison

First report from March 21, 2:21 p.m .:

London – tennis legend Boris Becker appeared in court in London on Monday to answer for delay in bankruptcy.

The 54-year-old arrived at Southwark Crown Court in the British capital this morning with his girlfriend Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro.

The public prosecutor accuses Becker of embezzling assets and not complying with information obligations in insolvency proceedings in his adopted home of Great Britain.

Boris Becker: tennis legend in London in court

A bankruptcy court in London had declared the three-time Wimbledon winner insolvent in June 2017 because of outstanding debts.

At the time, his outstanding debts were estimated at up to £50 million (€59 million).

In 24 charges, Becker is now accused of having withheld several trophies in the insolvency proceedings, including the trophy for a first Wimbledon victory in 1985. He is also said to have kept real estate, shares and bank balances secret and large sums in his ex-wives' accounts, among other things Barbara and Lilly Becker have transferred.

A preliminary hearing dealt, among other things, with an apartment in London's posh Chelsea district and two properties in Germany that Becker is said to have not properly registered.

Boris Becker accompanied by Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro.

© James Manning/PA Wire/dp

Boris Becker: Process for delaying bankruptcy

After the bankruptcy, more than 80 items belonging to Becker were auctioned until July 2019.

These included trophies, tennis rackets, photos, watches and a “Bambi” from the tennis star.

However, some important trophies were missing from the foreclosure sale and could not be found.

Part of Becker's debts were settled with the proceeds of around 765,000 euros.

The process of delaying bankruptcy was supposed to start in September, but was postponed because Becker changed his team of lawyers.

He was "glad that the process is finally starting and the court will make a judgment," Becker told the "Bild am Sonntag".

"The last five years have been damn long, the hardest of my life."

Boris Becker pleaded "not guilty" in October 2020

Becker rejects the allegations against him.

At a court hearing in October 2020, he had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

His attorney at the time said Becker was determined to quash the allegations and restore his reputation.

In the process, which is expected to last three weeks, Becker will use an interpreter - although according to his lawyer his English is "very good".

The tennis star, who won six Grand Slam tournaments in his sports career, has repeatedly had legal difficulties over financial matters.

The Spanish judiciary targeted Becker for debts related to his villa in Mallorca.

The Swiss judiciary accused him of not having paid the pastor who married him in 2009.

In 2002, a court in Munich sentenced Becker to a two-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of €500,000 for tax evasion of around €1.7 million.

This process, as well as the malice over several failed relationships of the sports star, contributed to the fact that "Bumm-Bumm-Boris"'s relationship with his home country Germany cooled down and he chose London as his place of residence.