A German court convicted Uli Hoeness of tax evasion on Thursday and sentenced the soccer manager who turned Bayern Munich into one of the world’s most successful clubs to 3-1/2 years in jail.<br /><br />Prosecutors had argued that Hoeness’s voluntary disclosure – that he had failed to pay taxes – was incomplete and thus did not meet a vital requirement needed for amnesty under German tax laws designed to encourage tax evaders to come clean.<br /><br />Hoeness has admitted he evaded 27.2 million euros in taxes on income earned in secret Swiss bank accounts but the 62-year-old soccer manager was hoping for leniency in one of the most closely watched tax evasion cases in German history. <br /><br />The case hinged on the question whether Hoeness, who as a player helped West Germany win the 1974 World Cup, fully cooperated with his voluntary disclosure. It shocked the nation and prompted thousands of tax dodgers to turn themselves in.<br /><br />Reuters
