IRS seek millions more from Castroneves

MIAMI, May 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. government is seeking $6 million from auto racer Helio Castroneves despite his acquittal on tax fraud and the $5 million he paid already.

In a civil action in U.S. Tax Court, the Internal Revenue Service says the Brazilian Indianapolis 500 winner still owes the extra taxes and fraud penalties on licensing income from Penske Racing Team from 2000 through 2004.

"It's almost like a retrial," lawyer David Garvin, who defended Castroneves in the 2009 trial, told The Miami Herald. "He did pay off his taxes after the trial, but that doesn't seem good enough for them."

The trial involved complex evidence on racing contracts, tax law and offshore companies. Under his Penske licensing deal, Castroneves' income was to be sent to a Panamanian tax shelter, but it went to a Dutch annuity account instead.

The jury cleared Castroneves and his sister and manager, Katiucia, of evading taxes on $5.5 million in income, but they deadlocked on a conspiracy count, which later was dropped.

Castroneves won his third Indy 500 a month after his acquittal and paid the $5 million. But the IRS says he underpaid "due to fraud."