I’ve had the most difficult year of my life but prison made me a stronger person, Boris Becker says in new year message

TENNIS legend Boris Becker has become a stronger man, he said in his New Year’s message.

The star welcomed the New Year on São Tomé and Príncipe, off the west African coast with his girlfriend Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro.

ReutersBoris Becker served time for bankruptcy fraud[/caption]

borisbeckerofficial/InstagramBoris’s New Years message after prison release was inspirational[/caption]

Boris was deported back to Germany after his recent release from prison.

Boris reflected on the year he spent time in prison for £2.5m in bankruptcy fraud, calling it “the most difficult year of my life.”

The video, captioned “Wishing you all a healthy, peaceful and prosperous 2023!”, has been viewed over 250,000 times.

He said: “To all my loved ones and the people and the people who resepct me and stood by me in the most difficult year of my life: it’s done, it’s dusted.

“I came out alive; I think I came out stronger. I think my mental health is better than ever.

Boris said he wouldn’t have made it without the help and support of his loved ones.

Not everyone approves of Boris’s release – German influencer and close friend of his wife, Cathy Hummels, spoke harshly of Boris being released early from his sentence.

In her podcast she said Becker should have served the full length of his sentence.

She said: “This is a crime, what he has done, and so it’s justified that he has to serve [the sentence].

“He fooled people, he ruined them. You have to serve time. I’m mega serious. He has cheated many people, deceived them and fooled them.

“That’s just not right. You have to go to prison just like everybody else.”

Boris has hit back, as it was revealed days ago that he is filing a defamation lawsuit against the German model and ex-wife of football star Mats Hummels.

Boris has refused to comment further on the complaint he issued against Cathy.

This isn’t the first time Boris has been in trouble about his finances: in 2001 he was accused of tax ­evasion after allegedly being resident in Munich while claiming Monaco as his main home.

A year later he was found guilty, given two years’ probation and ordered to repay three million euros in back taxes and interest.

He declared bankruptcy in June 2017, and owed creditors almost £50million over an unpaid loan of more than £3million on his estate in Mallorca, Spain. 

He’d been legally obliged to disclose all his assets after being declared bankrupt, but instead hid his Wimbledon trophy, a flat in Chelsea and £1.8million.

The court was told how the BBC commentator received €1.13million (£950,000) from the sale of a Mercedes car dealership he owned in Germany, which was paid into a business account used as his “piggy bank” for personal expenses.

Boris was found guilty in April 2022 of four Insolvency Act offences between June and October 2017.

Prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley said Becker “moved money and property quickly before it could be disclosed or discovered” after he was declared bankrupt.

She said: “He transferred money to various third parties to deprive his official trustees and creditors.

“The jury decided his actions were deliberate and dishonest.”

Aged just 17, Becker burst onto the scene in 1985 when he became Wimbledon’s youngest singles champion and the first unseeded player to lift the trophy at the All England Club.

Becker’s dynamic play and boyish enthusiasm — best captured in his penchant for spectacular diving volleys — made him the darling of Wimbledon crowds.

He successfully defended his Wimbledon title a year later, thrashing world number one Ivan Lendl in straight sets in the final.

Becker’s ferocious serve led to the nickname ‘Baby Boom Boom’ and ‘Der Bomber’.

AFPThe former tennis star and commentator was found guilty[/caption]

AlamyBoris’s son attended the hearings with his father in 2022[/caption]

PABoris and partner Lilian have remained together through his prison sentence[/caption]

GettyBoris is relaxing with his wife in her birthplace of Sao Tomé and Principe,[/caption]