Former Manchester United midfielder Anderson has been ordered to serve a prison sentence after failing to pay child maintenance totalling around £143,000.
The 37-year-old was warned he faces 30 days behind bars unless he settles the debt. The ruling was issued by a family court in his hometown of Porto Alegre on September 3 but was only reported in Brazil this week.
Local media say Anderson will be held under a strict closed regime if space is available in the city’s jails, meaning full confinement and constant supervision. If overcrowding prevents this, he may serve time under a semi-open regime, allowing him to study or do community work during the day before returning to prison at night.
The unpaid alimony relates to arrears up to July 28, amounting to just over one million Brazilian reais. Anderson, who retired in 2019 after spells with Fiorentina and Internacional, has made no public comment. His lawyer confirmed the case involves minors but declined to provide details due to a secrecy order.
Previous legal controversies
This is not the first time the ex-footballer has faced legal troubles. In 2020, he was named in a cryptocurrency money-laundering investigation linked to a £4.7 mln fraud involving the state stock exchange. It is unclear whether that case remains active.
Anderson, whose full name is Anderson Luis de Abreu Oliveira, reportedly has nine children. He previously recalled living with Cristiano Ronaldo during his early days at Old Trafford, saying the Portuguese star provided accommodation and support for him and team-mate Nani.
Capped eight times by Brazil, Anderson was part of the squad that won the 2007 Copa America and earned a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He spent seven years at United, winning four Premier League titles, before returning to Brazil in 2015.
