Former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness was allowed to walk out of prison on Friday, just seven months into his three and a half year sentence for tax evasion, said a spokesman from Bavaria’s Justice Ministry to German news agency DPA.

Hoeness is allowed to leave the prison during the day, and even take up employment, but must return to jail at night as part of the reduced-supervision rehabilitation part of his sentence. He is
expected to work with Bayern Munich’s youth team during his period of day-release.

In March, the 62-year-old was found guilty of failing to pay 28.5 million euros ($34.4 million) in taxes between 2003 and 2006, hiding the funds in a Swiss bank account. Prior to being president of Germany’s most successful football team, Hoeness played for Bayern and was part of the World Cup-winning German national team in 1974.

If the second half of his sentence is reduced to probation following good behavior, Hoeness could be a free man as of spring 2016.

es/ksb (dpa)