Super Bowl 2020: Shakira Tax Fraud Case Stirred up by Officials Ahead of Halftime Show

Shakira faced new developments in her alleged tax fraud case just days before Super Bowl LIV. The singer has been accused of committing millions of dollars’ worth of tax fraud in recent years, though she has since denied the claims. Now, many are wondering why this case came to a head so close to Shakira‘s Super Bowl halftime performance.

Shakira is co-headlining the Super Bowl 2020 halftime show this year, along with Jennifer Lopez. She may be a little distracted on stage however, as she has just been accused of committing tax fraud all over again. According to the Spanish newspaper el Nuevo Herald, Spanish officials confirmed that she committed over $16 million in tax fraud on Thursday, just two days before the performance.

The authorities claim that Shakira avoided those taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014. She has insisted that she is innocent, and has reportedly cooperated completely with the investigation. This massive tax fraud case goes back to 2018, when the Spanish government first summoned Shakira to court.

At the time, she appeared in a Spanish court to face allegations that she had avoided about $16 million in taxes — about 14.5 million Euros.

The officials argued that Shakira was a resident of Spain for most of that year, and therefore should have paid income taxes on her earnings all over the world, even while touring. The local municipality of Esplugues De Llobregat called these “short” trips.

According to the Catalan newspaper El Periódico, Shakira did pay this debt in February of 2018. Her representatives at the time said that she was in court to “help clarify the facts over her tax situation in Spain.”

“As soon as she learned how much she owed the Spanish tax authorities – and before a complaint was filed – Shakira paid the full amount,” a public statement read, “as well as providing the tax office with exhaustive information. For this reason, there is currently no debt whatsoever.”

Fans on Twitter were angry to see these new details raised so close to this year’s Super Bowl, calling it “Shakira slander.” They pointed out that Shakira had paid the debt in full, arguing that “fraud” was overstating it.

Shakira is one of the headlining acts at the Super Bowl halftime show this year, and she is making the most of the opportunity.

“This time, it’s representing the Latinos who have struggled so much in the U.S. and who I think are going to find an important space now, feeling represented on that very important stage,” she told Entertainment Weekly ahead of the big show.

The Super Bowl halftime show will likely come around 8 p.m. ET on Fox, depending on how the game plays out.