Tennis Legend Boris Becker Recounts Disturbing Prison Experience
In April, tennis champion Boris Becker was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for hiding large sums of money and assets, per NPR. The sports star had declared bankruptcy in 2017 and it was revealed that he had transferred hundreds of thousands of pounds to several other accounts. The three-time Wimbledon winner was also found guilty of not declaring his property in Germany and hiding a bank loan of over $870,000.
As reported by CNN, Becker served eight months of his sentence in the U.K. and was released in December. Originally hailing from Germany, the tennis pro has been living in Britain since 2012. Following his release, Becker was facing deportation and has left for his homeland. His lawyer, Christian-Oliver Moser said in a statement that Becker "has served his sentence and is not subject to any penal restrictions in Germany."
Moser would not disclose where Becker would now be living and declined any interviews. Although the six-time grand slam champion remained tight-lipped before he left, Becker later revealed a harrowing account of his time in prison.
Boris Becker claims a fellow inmate attacked him
Upon his arrival in Germany, Boris Becker sat down with a broadcaster and shared a chilling story, per the New York Post. The tennis Hall-of-Famer claimed that while he was in prison, a fellow inmate tried to sexually assault and kill him. The prisoner had apparently been upset that Becker had befriended Black inmates. Becker told the broadcaster that he had called for help and he was saved by a group of inmates.
"I was shaking so bad. I shouted loudly and immediately the inmates came out and threatened him," Becker revealed. He also recounted another prisoner trying to kill him after he got transferred to another area of the prison. Besides the threat of being harmed, the athlete shared that his time behind bars was the first time he had ever experienced hunger.
Despite his rough times, Becker made friends who managed to procure him three chocolate cakes for his birthday in November, ESPN reported. "I've never experienced such solidarity in the free world," he shared. As for his eight month sentence, Becker mused, "It could have been much worse."