Shakira Settles Tax Evasion Charges with Spanish Authorities
Colombian singer Shakira reached a settlement with Spanish prosecutors, putting an end to her years-long legal dispute over allegations of tax evasion. The announcement comes on the day her trial was set to begin in Barcelona. Spanish authorities accused Shakira of failing to pay more than 14.5 million euros in income taxes between 2012 and 2014. As part of the agreement, Shakira will receive a suspended three-year sentence and will pay a fine of 7.3 million euros, significantly less than the eight-year prison sentence and a fine of 24 million euros initially sought by prosecutors.
Shakira, whose legal name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, had rejected an earlier deal offered by prosecutors in July 2022, choosing to maintain her innocence. However, in a statement on Monday, she explained that she decided to settle with Spanish authorities to avoid putting additional stress on her family, particularly her children. Although she expressed her determination to defend her innocence, she ultimately chose to prioritize her kids and her career. In exchange for having her sentence waived, Shakira will have to pay an additional 432,000 euros, and her legal record will reflect that she was found guilty of tax fraud, which could impact separate tax evasion charges she is still facing.
While her tax troubles are not completely resolved, Shakira has had a victorious year otherwise. Earlier this year, she was honored with a Video Vanguard honor at the MTV Video Music Awards, becoming the first South American artist to win the lifetime achievement award. Additionally, she won a Latin Grammy for song of the year last week. This comes after her public split with soccer star Gerard Piqué in June 2022.
According to Spanish law, anyone living in the country for more than six months is considered a resident and must pay taxes. Prosecutors alleged that between 2012 and 2014, Shakira was living in Spain despite listing her official residence in the Bahamas. However, Shakira’s attorneys argued that the singer spent long periods away from Spain during that time, including extended stays in the United States as part of the coaching and judging panel on NBC’s “The Voice.” Despite the settlement, Shakira still faces separate tax evasion charges for her 2018 income.