FORMER MANCHESTER CITY goalkeeper Eike Immel has been sentenced to two years and two months in prison in relation to 107 cases of fraud.
According to reports from Bild, the majority of the cases centred around the 64-year-old borrowing money and not returning it.
The total value of the money in question is reported to be £29,775.
Immel also sold tickets to a European Championship game, keeping the money but failing to deliver the tickets.
The German was found guilty in all cases before being sentenced by the district court in Marburg on Thursday.
The former Euros-winning goalkeeper’s defence brought up his financial issues as a reason for his failure to repay the money.
Bild report that a statement given by Immel’s defence attorney read: “Mr. Immel is deeply ashamed of what is being discussed here in the courtroom today.
“He lives hand to mouth. This fact has been publicly known for years.
“[He is] not a professional fraudster, but a failed former footballer.”
Immel declared bankruptcy in 2008, and has since spoken to the media about his money troubles, last year claiming to be living off of benefits.
The stopper made 43 appearances for Manchester City between 1995-97, but is best remembered for his tenure in the Bundesliga.
He played almost 550 league games between spells at Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart.
His domestic performances earned him 19 international caps with West Germany.
Among these appearances, he won the 1980 European Championship and was part of runner-up campaigns at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups.
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