Last Charge Dismissed for Indy 500 Champ Castroneves

The final charge against race car driver Helio Castroneves in his tax case was dismissed just two days before he went on to win the Indianapolis 500 for the third time.

Castroneves was acquitted in April of six counts of tax evasion after the IRS claimed he owed $2.3 million on earnings between 1999 and 2004 (see Racecar Driver Castroneves Acquitted of Tax Charges). The jury deadlocked on the final charge against him, of conspiracy, after he, his sister and his attorney were accused of setting up a Panamanian shell company to hide his earnings. However, the final conspiracy charge was dismissed last Friday.

“My life is back,” he said to E!online.com “The only thing I can think about is to go and be in the race car again.”

Castroneves, who won the reality show, “Dancing with the Stars” in 2007, also emerged the Indianapolis 500 winner on Sunday. He was the ninth driver to win the Indy 500 three times, and the Brazilian was the only non-U.S. driver to win the race so many times.