We seek to contribute to analyses of the links between celebrity culture, neoliberal values and austerity (Mendick et al., 2015b; Allen et al., 2015; Hamad, 2013) through an examination of the allegations made against Cristiano Ronaldo for evading taxes (‘Football Leaks’ in December 2016 and the fiscal investigation and prosecution during 2017), and how this news was framed and discussed by audiences in Portugal and Spain (Ronaldo was born in former and plays his football in the latter). Since Portugal and Spain have endured a severe economic crisis and austerity policies, the backdrop of this case is an ‘austerity culture,’ which justifies welfare cuts, promotes entrepreneurialism as ‘success’, and presents neoliberal policies as ‘common sense’ (Hall & O’Shea, 2013; Jensen, 2014; Jensen & Tyler, 2015; Bramall, 2013; Bramall et al., 2016; Alonso et al., 2011). This tax evasion scandal is thus an opportunity to examine the role of ‘celebrity malfeasance’ in broader social debates about fairness, transparency, solidarity, and social justice. In this case, the media seems to reclaim authority to make ‘revelations’ about the financial elite by stoking and agitating their involvement in ‘scandals’ pertaining to offshoring (Bramall, 2016; Urry, 2014). In analyzing readers’ comments in two Portuguese and Spanish newspapers’ websites and social media profiles (Van Del Bulck & Claessens, 2014; Mendick et al., 2015a), our data show views on offshoring and tax evasion implicating larger discussions and criticisms about the high earnings of football players and celebrity tax privileges in Spain, the efficiency (or lack thereof) of the fiscal and justice systems, corruption in professional football, and the role of the media institutions (agenda vs. transparency and freedom of speech).