Former NHL goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks Mika Noronen is officially facing tax fraud charges in his home country of Finland.
Mika Noronen was a first-round pick in the 1997 NHL draft for the Buffalo Sabres, going 21st overall. After a couple of years as a free agent,
he was later traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 2006 before disappearing from the spotlight after 71 games in the NHL.
Unfortunately for this retired goaltender, it seems
another figure in the world of hockey is facing charges. Mika Noronen could serve up to four years in prison,
as Ita-Sanomat reported today that Nornen faces charges of aggravated tax fraud. This case was brought against him by the Tax Administration, who alleges he misled authorities about his finances in July of 2020. For this to be aggravated, the prosecution needs to prove that he did so intentionally for massive pecuniary gain.
"According to the Criminal Code, you can commit aggravated tax fraud if you provide the tax authorities with misleading information for taxation purposes. In addition, an aggravated offence requires that the offence has been committed with the aim of obtaining a large financial gain or that it is committed in a particularly planned manner."
While the details of these charges against him have yet to be specified, many assume it is related to
Noronen's luxury real estate agency in the United Arab Emirates, which is supposedly worth millions of euros. He, however, has refused to comment on the matter.
"I have no comment at this stage. I don't have anything to say about it."
Though a trial date has yet to be set, this is undoubtedly not how Noronen would have wished to spend his retirement from hockey. Hopefully for the Finnish native, his home country will not be too hard on him.
Source - HockeyOTB
Former NHLer is being accused of tax fraud
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