Tevez's brother jailed 16 years for armed robbery and he even tried to blame Tevez for that crime.

Manchester City superstar Carlos Tevez's brother has been jailed for 16 years for masterminding an armed robbery.

The footballer's brother-in-law was also sent to prison for his part in the raid in which the pair wore police uniforms to target a bank security van.

Juan Alberto Martinez, 31, was arrested and tried to blame the raid on his Premiership footballer half-brother who he claimed had used a mobile connected to the crime.

Martinez and brother-in-law Carlos Avalos Veron brandished automatic rifles but then ran-off empty-handed during the botched robbery in Cordoba, Argentina.

The former-Manchester United striker was used as an alibi by Martinez because he was visiting Argentina at the time of the June 2008 crime, just weeks after he won the Champions League and Premiership double with the club.

The Sun today reported that Martinez used Tevez's nickname Pitbull in telephone calls taped by police.

He also claimed to have been staying at Tevez's home in Cordoba, but further investigation showed the house was uninhabitable and Tevez was at a concert when the raid occurred.

Veron, who was also sentenced to 16 years, admitted his part in the robbery, while a third man was acquitted.