Its sad to see Messi and Barca escape tax fraud with a fine while Uli goes to jail. But who ever said the world is supposed to be fair....
Messi was cleared of the charges. And DennyCrane got it spot on, there is little ground for anyone to talk about injustice in this case considering A) he committed the crime, b) the system in Germany is rather flawed as it is and thus makes it rather easy for tax evaders to escape any form of punishment but c) he even failed to use that system correctly. As the judge said, Hoeneß had more than enough time to set things straight but he didn't. His fault.
On top of that, Hoeneß has made a habit of publicly acting like the voice of the little people, giving his take on a fair social system and critcising others (especially left-wing politicians like Lafontaine, Kipping), something which he has done with a passion over the last decade and what makes it hard for me to comprehend how people buy into that "poor victimised football hero" narrative. Some quotes by our dear Uli:
"I know that's stupid, but I pay full taxes!"
"Gambling should be banned. I call the government to action."
(On tax evasion) "It makes no sense to do that whatsoever, as it will come out one day. Going to prison to save a bit of money can't be the point!"
"[With higher taxes] entrepreneurs will move to Switzerland with their money and nobody will be helped with that. Introducing a wealth tax will not help the little men"
"[At the] Starnberger See (...) nobody pays their taxes, because they have ships or real properties they can set off against tax"
"Lafontaine (co-chairman of the left-wing party "Die Linke") owns a castle in the Saarland that makes my house look like social housing. That's what I call preaching water and drinking wine"
"I would be willing to pay higher taxes but only if I know exactly what they will be used for"
"At some point I noticed that getting more and more and more does not fulfill you. I noticed that it feels much better to share what you have with others."
"I have donated more money than I evaded. I'm not a social parasite"*
*He donated 5m. He evaded 28.5m.
Actions speak louder than words, and in this case his actions would not have been taken so badly by the public had he not acted like the eternal moraliser.