Comment Spanish prosecutors have asked for more than eight years in prison and a fine of about $24 million for Shakira for alleged tax fraud, as authorities move forward with their long-running case against the Colombian pop star. Shakira’s legal woes began in 2018 when Spanish authorities accused her of evading 14.5 million euros, or nearly $15 million, in taxes between 2012 and 2014 — a three-year period during which she claimed she had not yet officially moved to Spain. A judge concluded last year that prosecutors had gathered enough evidence to prosecute the tax fraud charges in court. On Friday, prosecutors unveiled six charges against Shakira, 45, after she rejected a settlement agreement earlier this week, El País reported. According to the Spanish newspaper, authorities highlighted the significant amount of taxes she allegedly owed, as well as her history of using offshore tax havens, as aggravating factors in the case. The Grammy-winning performer, famous for hits like “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Waka Waka,” has denied wrongdoing on multiple occasions, including during her 2019 court appearance. The Pandora Papers: Billions Hidden Beyond Reach Shakira’s publicists in London said the singer “has always cooperated and abided by the law, demonstrating impeccable conduct as an individual and as a taxpayer,” the Associated Press reported. Its public relations team in Spain said it immediately returned the amount owed to the country’s tax authority as soon as it was notified. He also deposited an additional 3 million euros in interest. Those payments, El País reported, may be considered a mitigating circumstance by prosecutors when it comes to the length of a possible prison sentence. The tax fraud charges depend on where Shakira lived from 2012 to 2014. She claims her tax residence was in the Bahamas until 2015, when she moved to Barcelona with her partner, FC Barcelona footballer Gerard Piqué . (The couple, who have two children together, announced the end of their 11-year relationship last month.) But according to Spanish investigators, Shakira reportedly spent more than 200 days in the country in each of those three years. The Spanish government stipulates that a person who stays in the country for 184 days or more is considered a resident for tax purposes. These findings, first published by El País in 2020, were based on a reconstruction of Shakira’s schedule, including public appearances by fans and photographers. Prosecutors also allege Shakira bought property in Barcelona in 2012, which later became the family home she shared with Pique, Reuters reported. Shakira was among the celebrities whose names appeared in two large troves of leaked financial documents, the Paradise Papers in 2017 and the Pandora Papers in 2021. Investigations linked her to offshore companies in tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands and Malta . Its public relations team in Spain and the Barcelona prosecutor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
