Helio Castroneves Acquitted of Tax Evasion

by Elizabeth Fairview | April 17th, 2009

Former Dancing with the Stars champ Helio Castroneves, has been acquitted. (ABC Images)

Helio Castroneves has been acquitted on charges that he allegedly used an offshore shell company to hide millions in earnings from the IRS.

Castroneves' sister, Katiucia Castroneves and his lawyer, Alan Miller, were also indicted. were accused of using "an offshore Panamanian shell corporation Seven Promotions to conceal and disguise the true and correct amount of Helio Castroneves' income from the Internal Revenue Service."

Although a jury today acquitted him of tax evasion, the jury kept the conspiracy count on Helio and his sister. If convicted, they faced up to six years in prison.

Castroneves won the Indianapolis 500 twice and was named Dancing with the Stars champ in 2007.