Helio Castroneves acquited from tax evasion charges

The acquittal of Helio Castroneves from tax evasion charges showed that ignorance of law particularly tax laws does not make the accused guilty.

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and his sister were found not guilty of six charges of tax evasion on Friday.

The jury remained hung on the one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government for both defendants, leading the judge to declare a mistrial on that count, Local 10's Todd Tongen reported.

Castroneves' lawyer, Alan Miller, has also been found not guilty of all the charges against him.

Helio Castroneves and his sister, Katiucia, shed tears when the verdict was read.

Helio Castroneves Indicted of Tax Fraud

I can still remember his ear to ear smile with those pretty dimples on both cheeks when Helio Castroneves won the championship in the Dancing with the Stars together with Julienne Hough.

Compare this with his description when he appeared in court:

Handcuffed and weeping, Helio Castroneves pleaded not guilty in a Miami court Friday to charges that he evaded U.S. taxes on more than $5 million in income.

Appearing in court bound in leg chains, the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and Dancing with the Stars champ was ordered released on $10 million bail. Of that amount, $8 million is security from one of the race car driver's personal accounts in the Netherlands.

"He surrendered his passport and has permission to travel to Atlanta for his race Saturday and anywhere in the U.S. for business," Mark Seiden told PEOPLE. Court restrictions prohibit him from traveling out the U.S., which will likely stop him from racing in Australia later this month, the lawyer added.

The Brazilian professional race car driver, 33, was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday for allegedly siphoning the millions to a Panamanian shell company from 1999 to 2004.

Earlier Friday, his attorney, Mark Seiden, told PEOPLE that Castroneves is innocent.

Poor Helio!