Shakira settled her tax fraud case on the day her Spanish trial was set to begin. The Colombian pop star, who was set to appear in court Monday on tax evasion charges, reached a deal with Spanish authorities, according to the Associated Press, avoiding the risk of an eight-year prison sentence and €24.5 million in fines if she had been convicted.
Spanish authorities accused the “Waka Waka” singer of owing over €14.5 million in taxes between 2012 and 2014, alleging that she had spent the majority of her time those years in Spain, despite listing her primary residence as the Bahamas. Shakira has long denied any wrongdoing and rejected a previous settlement offer from authorities in July 2022, but agreed in Monday’s deal to a suspended three-year sentence and a €7.3 million fine in addition to the previously unpaid taxes and interest. She will pay another fine of €432,000 in exchange for having her prison sentence waived, according to the AP.
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“Throughout my career, I have always strived to do what’s right and set a positive example for others. That often means taking the extra step in business and personal financial decisions to procure the absolute best counsel, including seeking the advice of the world’s preeminent tax authorities such as PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, who advised me from the start, and subsequently Ernst & Young Global Limited,” Shakira told Variety in a statement following her settlement. “Unfortunately, and despite these efforts, tax authorities in Spain pursued a case against me as they have against many professional athletes and other high-profile individuals, draining those people’s energy, time, and tranquility for years at a time.”
The “Hips Don’t Lie” artist, who shares two sons with her ex, Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué, continued, “While I was determined to defend my innocence in a trial that my lawyers were confident would have ruled in my favor, I have made the decision to finally resolve this matter with the best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight. I need to move past the stress and emotional toll of the last several years and focus on the things I love – my kids and all the opportunities to come in my career, including my upcoming world tour and my new album, both of which I am extremely excited about. I admire tremendously those who have fought these injustices to the end, but for me, today, winning is getting my time back for my kids and my career.”
