(USNewsBreak.com) – Shakira is a famous Colombian singer and songwriter well-known for her catchy hits and the moniker “Queen of Latin Music.” Throughout her lucrative career, she’s made millions, but she drew the attention of Spanish prosecutors in 2018 when they accused her of tax evasion from 2012 through 2014. Instead of settling, she initially opted to take the case to trial. However, before a court case could begin, she accepted a deal.
On Monday, November 20, Shakira stood before a judge in a Barcelona, Spain, courtroom where she announced she was taking a settlement that the tax authorities offered her, agreeing verbally to the arrangement. Prosecutors claimed she owed around $14.4 million in back taxes, but with the deal, she would pay $8 million and receive a three-year suspended jail sentence.
Shakira reaches deal with Spanish prosecutors in tax evasion case https://t.co/KLOEsHS7xw
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) November 20, 2023
The Latin pop star released a statement after the court appearance saying she was “confident” the court would have found in her favor, but she was thinking of her kids, “who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in [the] fight,” per ABC 13.
The tax issue centered on whether Shakira was a resident of Spain from 2012 to 2014. Prosecutors say she was living in the country — pointing to a 2012 home purchase in Barcelona — and using an official address elsewhere to skirt paying taxes. Spanish law defines those who spend six months or more in the country as residents who must pay taxes, therefore. On the other hand, her lawyers argued that she spent most of her time outside the nation because the singer was on a world tour.
The singer declared Spain as her primary residence for tax purposes in 2015 and has since paid her dues. She says that there are no outstanding debts from those years. However, she’s facing yet another investigation where prosecutors allege she failed to pay around $7.3 million in 2018.
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